A Bad Feeling
by Srellet
Summary: Han has one of those feelings when accompaning Leia and Luke on another mission. This story takes place after ANH Han & Leia emphasis CH15 posted.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: I do not own any of the characters in this story

CHAPTER 1:

Sheets of snow and ice blurred Han Solo's vision. He staggered as he battled the wind and snow as he forced his way against the elements. Hunched over in attempt to keep warm, his heart raced with anxiety. He had no idea where he was or why he was here. He just knew he had to continue forward. The ground rose beneath him and he slipped and slid a little, sometimes having to press a hand into the cold surface to right himself.

Sitting on the high end of the inclination was a lone figure. As he neared the person, Han noticed his own brown fur-lined coat. Who was wearing his coat? He certainly could have used it himself. He held his bare hand to his eyes, shielding his view from the snow, but he was still too far away to identify the person. Whoever was wearing his coat was facing the other way, the hood pulled over his head. Han stumbled a bit and caught himself. For some reason he had the feeling that he desperately needed to reach that person. If anything he could reclaim his coat. His toes ached in his boots with each step and the perspiration that covered his body and face had formed a thin layer of ice. He glanced down at his blaster. Probably frozen. He looked up at the stranger blurred by the snowfall. Was he friend or foe? Han felt panicked, but he didn't feel like he was in danger. Hopefully he could rely on his instincts. As he was about to call out, the person turned her face toward him, the hood of the coat slipping off her head.

Leia! She was smiling as she said something, but the wind stole her words. What was she doing out here?

Han called to her, but he couldn't even hear his own words. He pushed on with more determination attempting to run in the deep snow, but the more progress he made the farther away she seemed to be. She turned away from him, and he continued to call her name to no avail. Leia made no attempt to go to him but remained where she was. Her hair was loose blowing in the wind and collecting snow. She briefly looked at him again, flashing him a sad smile before turning away once again.

"Leia!" Han yelled frantically as he quickened his pace. His anger over the situation raged. Why was she just sitting there? Why wasn't she answering? Why wasn't she trying to get to him? He willed her to look at him, but she remained facing away, her head bowed slightly.

He fought on until he was several feet away from her. She turned her big brown eyes upon him, her long eyelashes had caught a few snowflakes, and she whispered his name so soft and heartfelt. Something wasn't right. Han's chest ached with anxiety. On his hands and knees he ignored the cold and crawled as fast as he could toward her. As he neared her, Han reached toward her. Leia looked down at herself before looking back at him. It was at that moment he realized that Leia was covered in blood, her hand clutching her chest. Han grabbed her hard, and she collapsed in his arms.

"Leia!"

"What now?"

Han jumped. He was sitting in the pilot seat of the Falcon, and Leia, arms crossed over her chest, stood at the entrance of the cockpit and stared at him obviously irritated. He ran a hand over his face. He must have fallen asleep. He had been having trouble sleeping. He looked at her for a moment, his eyes revealing his relief before he recovered his composure. Leia placed her hands on her hips and tilted her head in confusion.

"Well," she raised an eyebrow, "what do you want this time?"

"Never mind." Han turned away from her and fiddled with the controls of the Falcon.

The princess narrowed her eyes at him, "Very funny." With that she turned on her heel and stormed out of the cockpit. Han slumped back into his seat, shaken by the dream.

"What's up?" Luke looked up as Leia stormed past him.

She grunted and shouted, "That man just thinks he's the funniest thing!" She looked back at the door of the cockpit throwing darts at Han behind the door with her eyes. She threw herself down on the couch, and Luke tried to hide an amused smile.

"What's he done now?" Luke asked, but he already knew the answer. Han seemed intent on driving the princess crazy by calling her and then telling her that he didn't need her. He had done that several times over their long trip to Scillion. It was a childish joke, even for Han, and Luke wondered why the princess kept responding to his constant calls. Luke was amused by their behavior. However, Luke didn't think it was so funny when Han's yelling woke him up.

"Oh!" Leia roughly flipped through her flimsies, trying to find out where she left off. She had a lot of material to cover. She needed to know everything she could about picking locks and electro-detonators for their mission. "Why does he insist on interrupting my work?"

Luke glanced over at Chewbacca who let out a muted laugh. Leia shot them both looks that could kill. "Oh, I bet you do think this is funny, Chewie. I bet you're even in on it." Chewbacca stood to his full height and waved his hands dismissively and made his way to the cockpit. Leia turned her attention to Luke. "And what are you smiling about? Was this your idea?"

Luke leaned back in his seat. "Now, Leia, why would I torture you like that?"

Leia narrowed her dark eyes, scrutinizing the bright-eyed boy. "You better not even think about it." She turned her attention to the flimsies before her. "Oh! I don't know how I'm going to remember all this with all these distractions!"

"I'm sure Han could help you out," Luke offered. "Lock picking and explosives should be right up his alley."

Leia shot her friend and icy glare, "No thanks." The last thing she wanted was Han's assistance.

Luke laughed, "That would make your job a lot easier."

"I highly doubt it," Leia rested her head on her hands. "He only manages to make things more complicated."

"I'm sure he'd say the same about you," Luke patted her on the back. "Don't worry. You'll do fine."

"Using the force, oh great Jedi?" Leia looked at him.

"No," he looked her in the eye. "I have confidence in your abilities. Everything will be fine."

Leia smiled at him but didn't feel consoled. When did anything ever go "fine" when she was with Han and Luke?

"So have you memorized the blueprints?"

Luke smiled confidently and handed the flimsies of the blueprints to her. "Quiz me."

"Whaddya want, Chewie?" Han growled as his partner slipped into the cockpit and into the co-pilot's seat.

Chewbacca commented on the black mood of his friend. "I am not in a bad mood." Han turned his attention to the stars shooting by them. "And I didn't snap at you."

Chewie fiddled with the console keeping his keen blue eyes focused on his hairy hand as he inquired what's bothering Han. He figured there was something more going on with his complicated friend than fun and games involving the princess. "Nothin's wrong. Will you lay off me?" Han stood up. "Your turn to keep an eye on things. I'll be in my cabin if you want me." Chewie grumbled and worrfed. Han sighed. "Right. Leia has my cabin. I'll be somewhere else!" Han stormed out of the cockpit and through the main hold where the princess was asking Luke questions.

"Hey, Han," Luke looked up at him. "Leia and I are pretty much done here. How 'bout we play some sabaac?"

Leia rolled her eyes at Luke's attempt at making peace between her and Han. Fortunately, Han didn't think it was such a good idea. He shot Luke a look before stomping passed him.

"Guess not," Luke seemed hurt by Han's rebuke.

Leia put a hand on his shoulder, "Let it go, Luke. He's not angry with you." She leaned back on the couch, eyes downcast. "He's angry at me." Though she didn't know what she had done to make him so mad."

"That's not true," Luke tried to console her. "He's just…."

Leia smiled at him. "Han."

Han headed to the cramped cabin he and Luke were sharing, but at the last moment he decided to reclaim his own cabin. He found the door to his cabin open they way it usually was when Leia used it. Solo sighed and threw himself on the bed. "Ow!" He sat up quickly to find that he was lying on top of some discs and a stylus. Didn't that girl know how to clean up after herself? He collected her stuff and tossed it unto the bedside table. A cup of water and a bottle of pills fell to the floor. "Just great."

Han stood and found a towel to mop up the water. He kneeled down to retrieve the bottle of pills. Fortunately it was closed because it had landed smack dab in the middle of the puddle he had made. Han picked it up and turned it in his hands so the label was facing him.

"Sleeping pills?" Han sat back against the bed and shook the bottle. "So Her Worship takes sleeping pills." But that didn't make sense to him. She was up most nights. He'd caught her in the galley just sitting and staring at the table or curled up in a ball upon the pilot's chair in the cockpit watching the stars that zoomed by. Other nights he found her reading in the lounge. Most time he let her be without disturbing her, but he always had a strong urge to do otherwise. Han looked into the transparent orange bottle. There were only three pills left. He thought about pocketing the bottle. Maybe these little pills would put an end to his nightmares. Han eyed the bottle for a moment longer and then put them back on the bedside table. Obviously those pills didn't work so well for the princess. Most likely they wouldn't do him any good either.

Solo sighed and dropped unto the bed once again. He couldn't wait for this mission to be over. It was supposed to be a simple mission, but Han had his reservations about that little fact in spite of the many times the princess tried to convince him it were true. He couldn't see anything simple about sneaking into the city's government building with the intent to steal and destroy files. He stared up at the bulkhead. He didn't like the princess's plan at all, mainly because he wasn't the one doing the dirty work. She was sending Luke to infiltrate the air ventilation system in order to gain access to the intelligence data system that was located in the most inner room of the building. The Scillion scientists, the most reputable scientists in the galaxy, allegedly developed biochemical weapons commissioned by the local Grand Moff Fridola. Fridola probably planned on using these weapons to get himself removed from this hell hole of a planet and into a higher position, Han huffed. The Alliance could use this knowledge to sway other star systems to join their cause. They now had one of the three scientists in their ranks. Biola, or something, defected a month ago. Intelligence reported the assassination of the remaining two scientists and thought it was in the Alliances best interest to steal and destroy the files.

Nevertheless, Han didn't like the fact that Luke was one doing the seeking and destroying. Luke was far too innocent and clumsy to get in and out of the ventilation system undetected no matter how many times he reviewed the blueprints given to Leia by General Dodonna. Han preferred to be the one to do the retrieving, but Han was too big to maneuver himself through the vents. The kid was the perfect size. He sighed heavily and closed his eyes. And Leia made it clear she didn't want his help on her part, which didn't make sense to him since he viewed himself as one of the most talented lock pickers in the galaxy. Han didn't like the princess putting herself in such a precarious position, but he didn't have much choice in the matter. She insisted that Luke needed his assistance more than she did. He was indignant over being a glorified look-out, but she bombarded him with too many "what if Luke.." situations that he couldn't protest. So it was protecting the kid or protecting the princess. Han just had a bad feeling about this mission, and his dreams about the princess weren't making that feeling any better. Han slammed his fist against the wall above his head.


	2. Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2:

Standing at the bottom of the _Millennium Falcon's_ landing ramp, Chewbacca leaned close to Han's ear and grumbled his worries. Han watched Luke and Leia walking ahead of him.

"I know." Han shook his head. "I feel the same way."

Chewie placed his hands on his hips and mumbled some more. Han smiled, though it didn't hide his unease, "I'm always careful." He glanced back at Luke and Leia. "I'll make sure they're careful too. See you later, pal." Chewbacca nodded and retreated up the ramp.

Leia glanced back at Han who was still standing at the bottom of the _Falcon's _ramp. "Are you coming or not?"

"Hold your Tauntauns, Your Worshipfulness." Han scowled and started toward his friends. "Maybe I should carry the bag."

Leia adjusted the small carry-all she had slung over her shoulder. It contained the electro-detonators that she intended to use to cause the distraction. "I don't think so." She turned away from Han and continued on with Luke.

Han shook his head and followed the pair. He pulled at the heavy beige wrap that concealed his holster, and stomped his feet around in order to get used to the heavy fur lined boots. Luke and Leia didn't seem hindered by their strange clothing. Luke wore a similar wrap and boots as Han, but Han wasn't as interested in Luke's attire as much as he was Leia's. Under the heavy wrap that hugged her shoulders, she wore a soft brown tunic covered by a beige apron and short pants in the fashion of a Scillion female servant. The weather was crisp, and, as he studied the pale bare skin that peeked out between her boots and wrap, he wondered if she were cold. If she was, she didn't show it. Her long hair was loosely braided and Han found himself watching the few tendrils that whipped around her head. Despite the heaviness of her clothing, she seemed small, and a flash of his dream of her in peril gripped his stomach for a moment. With a gruff sigh he trudged on.

"What's wrong?" Luke looked over his shoulder at his friend. Han waved a dismissive hand at him. Luke gazed at Han for a moment longer, sensing the discontent and worry emanating from his friend. Luke opened his mouth as if to say something but figured it would be better to let it go for the moment. After all, Luke was feeling a little uneasy himself, hoping not to lose himself in the vents before he retrieved and destroyed the files.

Leia was the only one who seemed confident. She walked along in a regal manner conspicuously glancing around her. Han took a few steps until he was behind her, and grabbed the back of her wrap. Quick as he could draw his blaster, Leia pulled out of his grasp, "What do you think you're doing?" she muttered through gritted teeth.

He leaned down toward her ear, "If you want to blend in better, perhaps you should walk a little less high-and-mighty."

Leia jerked away from him. She glanced around the Scillion servants scurrying around them about their daily activities. Irked that Han was right, it took her a few awkward moments to better blend in with the community. Han placed a hand on the top of her head and gently bent her head down. Despite her growing anger, she said nothing and focused her eyes on the ground. Han leaned close to her once more, "You know, Scillion female servants—"

"This is where we part company, Captain." Leia interrupted, pleased that she'd no longer have to listen to Han's advice.

The three friends stopped at the entrance of a large courtyard. They surveyed the crowd for a moment. Despite the late hour, the market was still heavy with activity. Elaborately dressed shoppers glanced over the goods offered by the humbly dressed vendors and made transactions. Servants and civil workers wore bland clothes similar to Han, Luke, and Leia's outfits. They moved like drones in a hive as they tended to the wealthier citizens and performed their duties. Han noted that there were no non-humans or droids among the crowd.

"Okay," Leia said, "The ventilation system leading into the defense department is located about 3.5 meters down the second alley to the right." She nodded her head discretely in that direction. "The utility building is located across the courtyard over there. It closed about twenty minutes ago so it should be deserted." Han looked at the utility building. Although it was clearly closed, the glass doors faced the courtyard. There was no way that Leia would break in undetected. With a smug smile, Han opened his mouth to point this little fact out. Certainly now she would see the error of her way and send Han in to do her job. After all—

Leia seemed to know what he was about to say, "I will be breaking into the back door." She imitated his smug smile, inciting him to "huff" and roll his eyes. "Once the courtyard lights go out, you should be able to penetrate the interior of the ventilation system without any alarms going off."

"Provided nothing goes wrong." Luke warned.

"Nothing should go wrong." Leia shot Luke a warning look before she continued. As and afterthought, she added, "Be careful."

"You, too." Han caught her eyes, and she held his gaze for what felt like an eternity. Her eyes reflected her surprise at the sincerity in his tone, and he was sorry that she'd be surprised by his worry. Still, he couldn't look away, and a flash of his nightmare about her crossed his thoughts.

Luke, who was looking at Leia, turned his attention to Han. Han seemed a lot more on edge than he usually did. In fact, Han was the one who was usually overconfident in these situations, and Leia was the cautious one. This change in his friends' behavior caused Luke to feel uneasy. He grabbed Leia by the shoulders and forced her to look at him. "Don't take any unnecessary risks."

The princess sighed, but Luke spoke before she could say anything. "May the Force be with you." Leia closed her mouth and smiled. "You too."

"Okay, okay," Han shifted his weight. "Let's get this over with."

"Right," Leia took off in the direction of the utility building. Han watched her as she began to make her way across the courtyard and dread clutched his stomach. _He down, head down_—

"Han," Luke called as he started his way toward the alley to the right. "Let's go." Han followed Luke, willing himself not to look in the direction of Leia's path. Not that he'd see her in the crowd bustling around in the courtyard. Too short and vulnerable. Vulnerable? Not a thought he usually associated with the quick-witted princess, and it caught him by surprise. An image of the princess encrusted in snow and drenched in her own blood crossed his thoughts. _It was just a dream,_ he reminded himself.

"There it is." Luke pointed up to the white slatted square a half a meter above Han's head.

Han was pulled out of his musing, cursing himself over his distracted thoughts. Luke needed his full attention if he was going to be successful in nicking the files. He pulled out the small vibroblade from a pocket in his tunic as Luke shrugged himself out of the heavy wrap and pulled his boots off. From his pocket, Luke pulled out a slim headset and secured it in place. Han did the same.

"Okay," Han place his hands on his hips. "How we gonna go about this?" Luke pulled at his chin for a moment as he scrutinized the vent. "Give me a leg up. I should be able to reach it." Han leaned back against the wall underneath the vent and clasped his fingers together. "Here goes nothin'."

With the hilt of the vibroblade held between his teeth, Luke grabbed Han's shoulder and placed his right foot in Han's laced fingers. He struggled a few moments before adjusting to Luke's weight. Luke wobbled as he adjusted his other foot upon Han's shoulder. Once he felt secure enough, Luke removed the vibroblade from his mouth and wedged it in between the vent and the wall.

"Would you hold steady!" Luke reprimanded after almost losing his balance.

"Just hurry it up," Han replied through gritted teeth. "You aren't exactly as light as a frilese."

"Give me a moment…..," Luke fiddled with the vibroblade a few minutes more. "Okay. Got it." He carefully removed the vent cover and began climbing down off Han. Once safely back on the ground, he carefully placed the vent cover on the ground next to Han. "Any sign?"

Han glanced down the alley toward the courtyard. The pink lanterns splattered in the courtyard burned brightly as the sun descended. "Not yet." He glanced up and down the shadowed alley. "We look pretty conspicuous if anyone walks by."

"Yeah. Maybe I should sit in the vent until time."

"Good thinking." Han repositioned himself under the vent opening. Luke climbed back up Han.

"Uh-oh."

"What?"

"We have a problem."

Of course nothing could be easy. "What is it?"

"I don't fit."

"What?" Han asked exasperated as he struggled to hold Luke's weight.

"I don't fit."

"How could you not fit? I thought the blueprints included measurements." Luke began climbing down. "They did."

"Did you all of a sudden grow?" Han paced around once Luke was back on the ground.

Luke shook his head. "No. It's just the opening. It widens out half a meter in."

"Great." Han huffed. "Now what?"

"Leia!" Luke quietly shouted. "She'll fit."

Han didn't like the way this was going. He opened his mouth to protest, but Luke cut him off. "Here. Let's get this vent cover back in place and then get her."

"I don't know, Luke," Han started as Luke, vent cover in hand, climbed back up him once again. "Don't you two have different parts of the information to study?"

"Yeah," Luke jumped down and begin pulling his boots on. "But we quizzed each other. She knows the path through the ventilation system as well as I know where to place the electo-detonators in the utility building." He pulled his wrap around his shoulders and started toward the courtyard. "Come on. We don't have a lot of time, and this might be our only chance." Luke hurried into the crowd. Han didn't like the turn this mission was taking, but then when did things ever go right? The princess would be upset if things didn't work out.

"I've got a bad feeling about this," Han followed Luke one pace behind.


	3. Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3:

Leia silently cursed as she pushed the thin metal lock pick into the primitive door latch. It was her tenth attempt at unlocking the dust-encrusted door. Fortunately, the door was hidden in a small alcove away from prying eyes. She didn't have to worry about being inconspicuous. Time was the only concern, and another whispered curse slipped through her lips when the lock pick slipped out of its hole. She bit her lip and went to work on it again.

"AMPH—" Leia struggled against the hand covering her mouth and the other one that secured her tightly to her captor.

"Take it easy, Sweetheart," Han whispered into the struggling princess' ear.

"It's us, Leia," Luke assured.

Leia relaxed, feeling stupid when she realized Luke was standing next to her the whole time. Han dropped his hand from her mouth but didn't release her from his grip. Had he noticed that she didn't move out of his hold, he would have been pleasantly surprised. But he was too angry to notice. "Way to be careful, Your Worship."

Angry that he was right about her carelessness, Leia moved out of his grip. She addressed Luke, "What happened?"

Han answered, "Your wonderful blueprints had a little mistake—"

"I can't get into the vent," Luke interjected. "I'm too big." The princess' eyes widened in horror, and Luke placed his hands on her shoulders, "But you're not." He removed his headset and placed it on Leia.

"Okay," she handed the lock pick to Luke. "Good luck with the lock."

"Maybe I should do that," Han stepped forward grabbing for the pick. Before his companions could object, Han had the lock pick in the lock. He jiggled it for a second, and with a click the ancient door popped open. He leaned against the door frame and flashed his companions his cockiest smile. Both Leia and Luke rolled their eyes simultaneously.

"Okay," Leia fought to hide a smile. "Give us ten minutes before you set off the detonators." Luke nodded, took one last look at his departing friends, and disappeared through the door.

"Come on," Han grabbed Leia's hand before she could protest and made his way back through the courtyard with Leia in tow. "And remember, head down." Leia opened her mouth to retort, but Han's quick pace gave her no chance. The pair, hand in hand, closely followed the stone walls that enclosed the courtyard. Han's eyes flitted over those who passed by, afraid that someone was going to notice them. So far all of three of them have been careless, too confident. Perhaps only Luke should have gone to fetch the princess. But Han would have worn himself out with worry as he waited for her to find him. This way he could personally escort her back down the alley to the ventilation system, ensure she made it safely. He stole a glance at his companion. Leia's head was down, but he could see that she was ever vigilant about her surroundings.

Just as they were seven meters away from the entrance of the alley, the festive pink lanterns popped as they went out, and the courtyard crowd went into a frenzy.

Leia and Han glanced at each other, "Doesn't the kid know how to tell time?"

"Just be thankful he succeeded," Leia admonished. She added to herself, "I hope he makes it back to the _Falcon_ undetected."

"Let's worry about us right now," Han broke into a jog, and Leia fought to keep up with him. He looked down the small path and then back at the courtyard. Once he was certain that no one was taking an interest in them, he led the princess to the ventilation system entrance. Before thinking about what he was doing, Han began to remove the heavy wrap that Leia wore.

"I think I can handle that," the princess jerked out of his grasp and finished removing the article of clothing.

"The boots, too," Han took a step back, wondering what possessed him to be so familiar with her in the first place.

Solo positioned himself under the vent opening. He laced his fingers together and squatted down to make the climb easier for Leia. She placed her hands on his shoulders just as Luke did, but it definitely didn't feel the same. Han took a deep breath as she placed her stocking foot into his hands. She pressed close against him as she pulled herself up, and Han fought the urge to wrap his arms around her. "Enjoying yourself, Your Worship?" he quipped just to clear his mind.

The princess paused, her dark eyes level with his. For a moment he thought that she might kiss him, and he was shocked that that thought even crossed his mind. His eyes widened a bit as he thought, _yeah, I definitely want to kiss her_, and for a moment he was certain she was going to do just that.

Leia arched an eyebrow, "Riding the Falcon through an asteroid field would be more enjoyable than this."

"Nice," Han muttered, suppressing amusement. He pushed her foot higher allowing her to climb onto his shoulders. His hands slipped along her bare thighs as he helped her along. Her skin was cold beneath his fingers, yet the heat between them burned hot. Leia froze for a moment, and Han knew she felt it, too. Unnerved by her proximity and the touch of her, he gave her a swift push, and she pulled herself the rest of the way inside the vent.

Leia maneuvered herself into a sitting position, knees pulled against her chest and head bent low to prevent her hitting it on the ceiling. Han marveled how perfectly she fit in the tiny opening, and his heart swelled with worry. He ran a hand through his hair. It's not like Leia didn't put herself in danger before. In fact, she seemed to seek it out, and she managed to hold her own in such perilous situations. Han was always concerned for her safety, but now he was obsessing over it, certain something terrible was going to happen to her. And it didn't help to see her sitting in the vent opening looking like a child. Looking like a child? He shook his head and reminded himself that she was a child.

"What?" Leia asked exasperated.

"Huh?"

"Just give me the vent cover," she reached her hand down to him. Han lifted the light-weight cover and handed it to the princess. Han adjusted his headset, placing the tiny screen in front of his left eye. Leia did the same. They both switched their headsets on. Han's screen showed an image of what the princess was looking at. At the moment she was looking at him. He flashed her a cocky smile, "Like what you see?" He held his arms out.

Han suppressed a laugh as his headset screen tracked the movement of her eye roll. He took the vent and waited for her to pull herself completely inside the ventilation system. With the help she gave on the inside, he refitted the vent cover over the opening. Then he leaned against the wall and squatted, pulling her wrap over her discarded boots and his wrap over his head to conceal his face. He hoped that he'd look like a vagrant to anyone who happened to pass by. Between his hands he held a holoscreen that contained the blueprints of the ventilation system just in case the princess managed to get herself lost. He tried to swallow down the dread that threatened to overcome him. He needed to stay level-headed and calm if they were to complete this mission successfully. He pushed his fears aside, concentrated on the holoscreen, and viewed the tunnels of the ventilation system through Leia's perception. .

Princess Leia wiggled her way down the ventilation shaft. "Would you stop moving so much?" Han reprimanded into his comlink. "You're making me dizzy."

Leia let out an exasperated sigh, "So sorry. Maybe you should take my place in here."

"Maybe if I were a midget like you."

"Ooh!"

"Sorry. I meant little people."

Leia was about to let him have it but was distracted. "I'm at the first division."

Han focused at the holoscreen. "Go left."

"I know that, Captain," Leia's voice radiated her irritation.

The ventilation tunnel began to rise and she struggled not to lose her grip. "Can you do it a little quieter, Your Worshipfulness?" Han quipped in her ear.

"I'm trying," Leia gritted her teeth. "You're not helping." She pulled herself up to the rim that opened up into three separate tunnels. "It's the center one, right?"

"Now you need my help?"

"Just tell me."

Han studied the map on the screen, "Yeah, the center one." He focused his attention back to his headset screen and watched her perspective as she slid down the center tunnel a little too fast for his taste. "Take it easy, will you?"

Leia grunted as she slid to a stop. She was about to snap at Han's curtness, but then she realized that she reached her destination. "I'm here."

"I can see that."

The princess ignored him, and began unscrewing the clasps that held the flimsy screen that separated her from her mission. Once it was loose enough, she pried it away from the opening and peered into the room. She began to swing herself around to go enter the room feet first.

"What are you doing?" Han's voiced stopped her in her tracks.

"What does it look like I'm doing?"

"I don't know. I can't see," Han stared at his eye screen that showed the tunnel area where Leia had just come from.

"You don't possibly expect me to drop four meters head first, do you?"

"Okay, okay. Do it your way."

"Thank you for your permission." With that, Leia dropped into the room with a soft thud. Once she recovered her footing, she pulled out a glow rod and made her way through the long tables tangled with tubes and transparent boxes of various sizes. She glanced around at the ancient computers terminals that were scattered through the windowless room. She bit her lip as she tried to remember which one held the information she needed.

Han instructed her as if he read her mind, "The terminal is three-seven-alpha-two." He shut his eyes for a moment to fight the nausea threatening to take over as the eye screen tracked the rapid eye moment of the princess as she searched for the correct computer terminal.

"Found it!" Leia made her way to the computer terminal farthest to the right of her, and pulled out a power stick from one of the pockets in her tunic. She inserted the stubby key into the power terminal and waited. With a sizzle and a zap, the blank screen came to life. Leia furiously typed in commands to find the information. Nothing happened. She tried again. Just as she was going to ask Han for more information, the files she was looking for began streaming across the screen. She pulled up a seat and placed the memory stick into the outlet.

"Leia," Han's voice was filled with concern, "you need to get out of there. The natives are getting restless."

"It's not finished," she replied. She pulled the memory stick out and replaced it with a transporter. Her eyes lit up as the virus scrambled and destroyed the files.

"Leia!" Han's anger over her insolence was growing. Half of the lights in the courtyard had already been restored.

"Got it!" Leia pulled the transporter out of the terminal and headed back to the vent opening. She stood below it, realizing she was much too short to climb back in. "Damn."

"What's wrong?" Han demanded to know.

"Uh," Leia looked away from the opening to a table close by. "Nothing." Han squinted at the holoscreen trying to decipher what Leia was doing, but her eye movement kept him from doing so. The overhead lights zipped on, causing Leia to be disoriented for a moment. Recovering, she rushed over to the table and moved it underneath the vent.

Just then alarm bells began screaming into Han's ears. "Sith!"


	4. Chapter 4

CHAPTER 4:

"Han, what's going on?"

"Time's up, Princess." Han crouched closer to the wall hoping he blended in. Several uniformed men cast shadows down the walkway. He looked back at the holoscreen. He was filled with a moment of relief as he saw that she was back in the ventilation system and headed his way. "Good girl."

Leia chose to ignore his last remark. She focused only on not getting lost. She could hear the faint alarms ringing outside the building, but the alarms seemed to be coming from outside the building, not inside. She continued on until she found herself facing two different pathways and couldn't remember the right path.

"Which one?" She waited for a moment. "Han?"

Han glanced at his eye screen and then to the blueprints on the holoscreen. He was so occupied by the security forces now swarming the courtyard that he lost track of Leia's progress.

"Han!"

"Hang on…"

"I thought we were in a hurry."

Han let out a breath, "Go left. No wait! Right. Go right."

"Are you sure?" Leia quipped. "Because I can take a little nap while you're figuring it out."

"Go right," Han instructed with more confidence. "It's definitely right."

"You better be right," the princess made her way down the right tunnel, but froze when she heard muffled sounds below her.

"What's wrong?" Han hissed. He waited for an answer. "Leia?"

"Damn."

"What??"

Leia had no time to answer. She began to wiggle her way as fast and as quiet as she could. Unfortunately, she was neither fast enough nor quiet. She heard the muffled voices, one voice clearer than the others, "There!"

"Leia! Answer me!" Han tried to track her movement through the ventilation system, but her movement was too jerky and her eyes were frantically looking around.

"I think they found me," the princess breathed.

Han heard a rattle of shots that didn't sound quite like a blaster, but menacing just enough, "Get out of there!"

"I'm trying," she hissed as she tried to avoid the projectiles that perforated the flimsy metal of the ventilation system. She frantically backed up and waited until they stopped.

For a moment everything was quiet, and the princess could sense that they were waiting to see if they hit their mark. Leia held her breath, but then she heard the clumsy sounds of someone crawling into the ventilation system from the room she had exited. If only she had a blaster. She had no choice but to go forward. She crept as fast as she could, trying to avoid the needle-like projectiles that penetrated the vent floor beneath her.

"What the hell is going on!" Han yelled. He was up on his feet pacing, trying to figure out the best way to help her. He pushed the eye piece aside, shrugged out of his heavy wrap, pulled out his blaster, and started toward the front door. Without a definite plan, Han burst through the door with enough gusto to distract whoever was hunting Leia. He took a moment to study the blueprints of the building on the holoscreen and headed in the general direction of the princess' location.

Then he stopped, his mouth quirked into an expression he held out only for the princess when he had a plan that was sterling brilliant. Han headed in the opposite direction, hoping his sloppy entrance would be enough to pull attention away from the princess. Han took a few shots at the ceiling in hopes of attracting attention. A wide grin spread across his face as several men came running towards him. Screaming like a wild danshee, he led his pursuers down several halls.

Han was certain he had a huge lead on his pursuers. They didn't seem that competent, and they were somewhat slow on their feet, in he's opinion. Han had attracted the attention of about seven or eight guards or civil servants, whoever they were. He easily had a seven meter lead on his pursuers. This rescue mission was turning out all too easy.

But then Han turned down a narrow hall that led to a single room. "Damn! Dead end."

Solo's expression reflected his disappointment but only for half a second. Since when did he let dead ends stop him? For a moment his mind flashed back to the escape Luke and he orchestrated on the Deaths Star, with the help of one tiny princess with a mouth as big as a supernova. They ran into a few snags there, but they got away. Escaping a government building should be a lot easier than escaping the Death Star. What was he worried about? Well, brilliant-great-story-telling escapades would have to wait until he located and rescued the princess. Begrudgingly, he had to admit that Leia was a key aspect in the escape from the detention center in the Death Star.

But then it all came to him, "Ha!" he whooped at his own brilliance.

Han rushed into the cramped room at the end of the hall and slammed the door behind him. He glanced around looking for something useful that would take care of his pursuers he was certain would burst through that door at any moment That's when he noticed that every thing in this tiny room was covered with dust-covered tarps. He pulled dusty tarps off to reveal various cleaning products, an archaic sweeper droid, and mop'n'vac that looked old enough to be top-of-the-line during the time of the Old Republic.

He took a moment to glance again at the holoscreen to note Leia's location. The red lighted dash that represented the princess was moving hastily away from where she had entered. Han roughly shoved the eye piece back into place, but shoved it away because her movements moved too fast to track. "Where are you going?" He held his breath. "Leia? Not a good time to keep your pretty little mouth shut."

"I'm a little busy," she grunted breathlessly.

"You're going the wrong way."

"I don't have a lot of choice," she hissed. "I've got company."

"Sith!" Han muttered. He studied the blueprints on the holoscreen. "Okay. Head down the first shaft to your left that you come across."

"But that'll take me deeper into the building. There's no way—"

"Just do what you're told!" His patience snapped. Her only answer was a sharp intake of air. Han smiled to himself. Seems he won that argument. Maybe he should try ordering her around more often, turn the tables on her.

Still wearing the smug smile Leia incited, Han returned his attention to the task at hand. Outside the door, he could hear approaching footfalls of his pursuers. Han looked around. The only thing that hindered his brilliant plan was that he wouldn't have an escape plan. He pulled his shoulders back. When has that ever stopped him before? He surveyed the resources he had. Han pulled on his chin for a moment and turned the cleaning products around in his hand. He then scrutinized the mop'n'vac. Unsure exactly of the intricate workings of such machines, he began fiddling with the buttons and gadgets of the one in the middle. He banged on it a few times with the butt of his blaster and then backed away. Nothing happened.

Okay, Han wasn't exactly one to use such machines as a mop'n'vac or a sweeper machine. Why would he know how to turn on either? They still could be useful. Han grabbed two bottles of cleaner fluid and began squeezing them empty around of the only door in the room. Immediately, the mop'n'vac came to life with some odd creaking noises and headed to the mess Han made.

A self-satisfied grin spread across Han's face. He took a few steps back and fired at the trail of cleaning fluid. A blue tread of fire swirled around and followed the path of the cleaning fluid. And as Han figured, that old mop'n'vac continued sucking up the cleaner even though it was burning. Han backed up behind a small duristeel table, pulling the sweeper machine with him.

At that moment, Han's pursuers slammed open the door. The mop'n'vac continued sucking up the flaming fluid. With a few choice Corellian curse words, Han decided to help things along and fired at the mop'n'vac. The droid froze in its track, the flames that it sucked up began to engulf it, and it exploded from the blaster fire. All the unfortunate guards to be the first to enter the room were slammed by the explosion and knocked dead or unconscious.

Their remaining companions moved forward once the smoke cleared enough to see and continued their pursuit of Han. Han pulled a low-grade detonator out of his pocket and attached it to the sweeper droid. He sent it on his way with a swift kick and prepared himself for the concussion the explosion would cause. It didn't take long before it detonated. Alarms and sprinkle devices screamed into life. Solo waited for a brief moment to make sure everything was clear. Once he was sure, he made his way out the door, fighting to breathe through the thick atmosphere his innovative weapons produced. Now to find the princess. The cold water spurting from the ceiling made the floors slick, and Han fought to keep his balance as he raced through the halls once again.

"What's going on?" Leia asked.

"Don't worry," he quipped. "Your knight in shining armor is on his way."

"Luke's here?"

Han smirked, "Nice."

He rushed down the hall screaming like a wounded kettery. Just as he wished, the guards that must have been pursuing Leia were rushing towards him. He blasted a few, and the others backed cowardly backed away. That gave Han the opportunity to turn down another hall and dunk into another room. With his back pressed close to the wall, he waited for the unwounded guards. He had sat there so long that he figured they weren't pursuing him any longer.

"Cowards," Han stepped toward the open door and froze. If it weren't for his quick reflexes Leia would have had to wait for Luke to rescue her. The cowardly guards fired their weapons, and a handful of razor sharp darts whizzed pass Han. He slid under a table and blasted his targets. When everything quieted down, Han rushed to the door, pushed the fallen guards away with his foot, and cautiously looked both ways before he made his way down the empty hallway with care.

He flipped the eye piece in place to see the princess' perspective. "Are you still being followed?"

"I…I'm not sure," she answered, and he could see that she was looking back over her shoulder. "Fortunately, whoever discovered me made getting to me a bit difficult."

"Getting to you difficult? That doesn't sound like you."

"Shut up!" she exhaled. "They shot sharp projectiles through the vent. I think that might have slowed my pursuer down."

"Yeah," Han sobered. "Almost experienced that one."

"Huh?"

Han dismissed her confusion. He scrutinized the blueprints and took noticed of Leia's location. "Keep going straight. There should dead end."

"But—"

"Trust me."

"Why does that worry me?"

Han was too busy to respond. He moved as fast as he could on the slick floors and with as much stealth as he could muster. Finally, he arrived at his destination. Han's his eyes squinted as he tried to penetrate the sputtering water that continued to fall. Then he rushed across the narrow room, heading straight to the vent on the opposite end. He stretched on his tip toes and clawed at the vent.

"Han!" Leia called from the other side.

"Kick it out." Han instructed.

The princess kicked at the vent cover with both feet as hard as she could, almost toppling Han as it fell into his hands. He reached up for the princess. She wrapped her hands around his neck and gracefully slipped into his arms. She tightly clung to him as her feet dangled looking for the ground. He couldn't recall any other time he held her in his arms in such a matter. She was like a child in his grip, small and fragile, and his fear for her almost overwhelmed him. He longed to prolong the moment, but danger was lurking around them.

"What did you do?" she slid out of his arms and tried to shield her head from the water with her arms.

Han grabbed her left arm, "What happened here?" he twisted her wrist to get a better look. Streams of red faded to pink as her blood mixed in with the water.

Leia pulled her hand out of his grasp and examined it herself, "It's just a scratch. It's nothing." She wiped the blood away. "Can we go now? Or is this another one of those situations where you didn't plan ahead for an escape route?"


	5. Chapter 5

CHAPTER 5:

"Is this one of those situations where you didn't plan ahead for an escape route?"

"You know me so well," Han quipped. "Come on."

Han led Leia to the door, but hesitated before leaving the room. Han's stunt that triggered the sprinkler system also put out all the lights. The princess sighed, produced a glow rod, and stepped out into the hall.

"Which way?" She asked as she used her hand to shield her eyes from the spray of water.

Han reached for the holoscreen, "Uh…"

"What now?" Leia snapped.

"You smashed it," Han held up the useless device.

"I smashed it!" Leia tore it from his hands and examined the holoscreen closer. "You had it! How could I possibly have smashed it?"

Han's face contorted into a few shape before he settled on indignant, "You smashed it when I helped you out of the ventilation system." He took the broken device back and shoved it in his pocket.

"So how is this my fault?" Leia planted the fist of her free hand forcefully on her hip.

"Well," Han mumbled, "you're heavier than you look."

"Oh!" Leia looked ready to punch Han.

Before giving her the chance, Han grabbed her arm and headed south down the hall, "Come on! We don't have time waste."

Leia tried to stand her ground, but her feet couldn't find any purchase on the wet floor, "How do you know that way is the right way?" 

Han didn't even bother looking at his companion, "I don't, but I don't want to stand here and wait for them to find us." He took her lack of resistance as a sign of agreement. They rushed down the hall as fast as they could without losing their balance. When they came to a fork in the road, whoever had better footing, which was usually Han—though Leia bested him a few times—chose the path.

Their system was working well enough, though neither was certain their counterpart's choices were leading them any closer to an exit. At least they hadn't run into any—

"Sith!" Han hissed as Leia pulled on his the back of his blaster rig before he exposed their position. She quickly dropped the glow rod, and it sizzled as it splashed into a puddle. They pressed their backs against the wall hoping to go unnoticed.

The pair let out the breaths they were holding as group of men ran down the adjacent hallway. Confounded by not being discovered, Han peeked his head around the corner to get a better look at the men. He smiled down at the princess, "Fire brigade."

"That explains the sprinklers," Leia reached down to recover the glow rod.

"Looks like you managed to break another useful tool," Han smugly-smiled down at her as she tried to shake the glow rod back to life. "This mission is getting expensive for the Alliance."

"Now what?" she discarded the useless glow rod.

"The exit is that way," Han pointed in the direction from which the firefighters came, and Leia could not argue with his reasoning. They continued on at a slower, more cautious pace due to the lack of light and the constant pounding of water which hindered their sight. Han led the princess down a few more hallways, certain that the way out of the building would be at the end of one of them. He wondered how long she was going to trust his sense of direction.

"I think we've been down this way before."

Han stopped in his tracks. _Well, that didn't take long_. "No we have— " He paused and looked around. He pursed his lips, "Okay, maybe we have."

"Just great!" she paced in a tight circle. " 'Trust me'. This is the last time—"

"There!"

Han grabbed Leia around the waist and dragged her into the nearest room as a fury of darts whizzed past them. He leaned out the doorway and took a few shots at their pursuers. He was certain he hit at least two of the seven, but it was hard to tell under the circumstances. He slammed the door shut, and Leia had already begun moving the nearest table in front of it. Han helped her jam it against the door.

"This isn't going to hold them off for long," Leia pointed out.

"Tell me something I don't know," Han muttered as he looked around the room.

The sprinklers trickled to a stop inciting a sigh of relief from the princess, "Guess they put the fire out."

"Which means they'll probably intensify their search for us," Han planted his hands on his hips.

Their pursuers began pounding against the door, and the princess struggled to pull another table in front of the door, "Will..uhmph!..you help me…umph!...here?"

But Han's attention was drawn to a door at the other end of the room. It didn't look like it led out to another hallway, but it could be an escape route, "Leave that."

Leia didn't seem to hear Han. Her attention was focused completely on the door she was trying to protect. All the pounding on the other side had ceased, and it sounded as if their pursuers were retreating, or… "Han! They're leaving." That is when she noticed that Han was headed for another door, "Han! Get over here and help me move these tables."

"I told you to leave it alone….," he ordered but realized that she wasn't asking him to move more tables in front of the door she was guarding. "Sith!" he rushed over to help her move the tables away from the door as soon as he heard the scrambling and muffled voices coming from behind his escape route.

The princess moved the last table away from the door as Han shot the first guard who ran through the other door. He shoved Leia through the door and pulled a couple of tables back into position before he scurried out the door and back into the hallway. Unfortunately, the pair just jumped out of the fire and into the yaki-pan.

"Freeze!" one of five guards yelled. Completely caught off-guard, Leia and Han did as they were told. "Drop your weapon."

But that was where Han would draw the line. He could hear the other guards pushing tables away from the other side of the door they just exited. He held out his blaster and began lowering it to the ground, "Run," he whispered to his companion who stood in her place. Just as his blaster was a meter off the ground, he flipped into a better position and began frantically firing. He could hear the darts from their weapons slamming against the walls around them. Han dropped to the ground, pulling Leia with him, and continued firing in hopes to take out his pursuers before they took out Leia or himself.

Leia crawled as fast as she could, while Han, in a crouch and still firing his blaster, followed her. Once they reached the end of the hallway, both scrambled to their feet, Leia more gracefully than Han, and took off in a full run down another. Both decided not to mention to the other that they were only heading back the way they had just come. Han's only concern was to take out their pursuers, or at least lose them. He'd settle for just slowing them down long enough for him and Leia to figure a way out of this jam.

Without warning, Leia came to a complete halt, and Han slammed into her. The pair slid across the slick floor. Han started to yell at Leia for being so careless, but then he saw the reason she stopped so suddenly. Unfortunately, their momentum continued to pull them down the hall and into—

"Luke!"


	6. Chapter 6

CHAPTER 6:

"Luke!"

Han wasn't certain that Luke being smack dab in the middle of his and Leia's path was a good thing, especially since he and Leia had no control over their momentum. Luke never turned around. He welded his light saber as if he were battling some fierce foe. _This can't be good_, Han closed his eyes as he and Leia slammed into the fledging Jedi, knocking him off his feet.

Luke's saber swung around in a wide arc as he fell upon his friends. Unwittingly, he deflected the darts that the guards had shot at him and his friends. A few of the projectiles found their way back to their wielders, dropping several of the guards immediately. Han took that moment of confusion to take out the remaining guards with well-aimed shots from his blaster. He rolled onto his stomach and fired at the guards who pursued them from behind.

"Can't you guys be more careful!" Luke admonished. He extinguished his light saber and helped the princess to her feet.

"Sorry we couldn't be more accommodating," Han quipped.

"Luke," Leia gave him a quick hug. "What are you doing here?"

"I heard— "

"Who cares what he's doing here," Solo cut him off, "The question to be asking is, _where_ did you come from? And please tell me it wasn't through the front door or ventilation system!"

Luke looked back over his shoulder, "Of course not." He smiled at Han, "I came through the escape tunnels underneath the building."

"WHAT!!" Han yelled, and then he turned to the princess, "Why didn't you tell me about tunnels? And why didn't we use them?"

Leia's eyes were wide and her mouth fell open, but it was Luke who answered him, "The only way to get into the room with the files is through the ventilation system."

"The only way?" Han never took his eyes off the princess.

Luke rolled his eyes, "There are security locks on those doors. We didn't have the codes."

"Didn't have the codes," Han's voice rose with exasperation. He took a step towards Leia, "So why didn't you mention the tunnels?"

"They were on the holoscreen," Luke innocently pointed out. "Why didn't you use the holoscreen?"

Leia's eyes narrowed, "Han broke it."

"I did not!" he countered, "You're the one who broke it!"

"You're the one who had it!"

"If I didn't—"

"Will you guys stop!" Luke yelled. The two looked at him, and Luke sighed. "Let's just get out of here!" He turned away and started towards the exit, "You guys can argue about it later." Then he stopped suddenly, "I almost forgot." From under his wrap, he pulled Leia's boots. "I thought you might need these." Luke untied them from his belt and handed them to the princess.

"Thank you Luke," she quickly began to pull them on. Then she looked at Han, "How thoughtful you are."

"Found them by the vent entrance," Luke shrugged uncomfortably, completely oblivious to the silent exchange between his friends. Without another thought, Luke began to lead his friends to his escape route.

After shooting each other dirty looks for a half a second longer, Han and the princess followed Luke. Luke jaunted down another long hallway before he came to a stop. A puzzled Han and Leia watched as Luke used his light saber to carve a circle into the slate floor.

"This is how you got in?" Han asked incredulously.

"No," Luke didn't look up from what he was doing. With his tongue tucked between his lips, he completed the circle. Then he turned his attention to his companions, "but I figured it'd be faster." He carefully tapped his foot in the middle of the circle, and the piece he carved out dropped with a cloud of dust. "Who's first?"

The princess was about to volunteer, but Han pushed her out of the way, "Me first." Before anyone could argue, Han seated himself at the edge of the make-shift escape route and jumped. Leia and Luke exchanged a glance before Luke helped Leia down into the tunnel. Han was there to ease her to the ground. He moved her out of the way and assisted Luke as the young Jedi slid down to join them.

"Light your saber, Luke," Han ordered, "I want to make sure I don't step on any vermin or short princesses. Vermin, short princesses…sometimes it's hard to tell the difference between the two." At that moment he tripped over something.

Luke pulled out a glow rod, casting light on the smug expression on the princess' face as she looked down at an irritated Han. Luke sighed, "Will you two knock it off? I'd like to get out of here before they send for reinforcements. Imperial reinforcements."

The mention of Imperials immediately sobered Han and Leia. She offered him a hand, and he took it but pulled himself off the ground without relying too heavily on her assistance. The tunnel was hot, damp and musty, but at least they didn't see any vermin that looked too threatening. The three friends walked along in silence, each hoping the end of the tunnel would come soon. Han took note that his clothes were fairly dry and his blaster wasn't waterlogged. At least that was something.

The tunnel narrowed, and only the princess seemed able to walk upright without banging her head on the low ceiling. She glanced back at Han who was having a hell of a time maneuvering through the tight quarters. When she caught his eye, she raised an eyebrow and flashed him a smile. Han let out a frustrated breath and tried to ignore the pleasure she was getting from his plight. He made a mental note not to make anymore short jokes, at least for a while.

"So where's the light at the end of this tunnel?" Han asked, breaking the silence.

"If you're asking a literal question," Leia answered, "there's not going to be any light at the end of this tunnel."

"You're telling me," Han muttered. She was now getting on the last of his nerves.

"What?"

"Leia means," Luke intervened, "that it's night. It'll be dark."

"Thanks for the information," Han decided that he needed a break from the both of them. A shot of Corellian whiskey sounded really good right now.

"It's here," Luke pushed aside a few vines and pushed an iron-rod gate aside. He reached a hand for the princess, and she allowed him to assist her.

Han batted away a few stray vines and followed the pair into the warm night air. His hand hovered over his blaster, certain that the flash of white armor would be jumping out from behind the dry vegetation. But no such attack came. The tunnel let them out far off from the building, the courtyard, and any hint of civilization. They trudged along up the rocky terrain toward the _Millennium Falcon_. Luke stopped for a moment and looked back over his shoulder.

"I almost thought we weren't going to make it," Luke commented quietly.

Han looked at the younger man. "Yeah, me too." He stood up straight and looked back into the direction that they came from. "I thought they…" There was no one at all lurking in the area where they came from. No guards following them, no stormtroopers... That didn't make him feel any better. "Come on. Let's get back to the Falcon."

"Yeah," Luke followed Han and Leia. At least the Falcon wasn't too far from where they were.

The light from the glow rod wasn't sufficient enough, and it created angry shadows upon their path. Luke stumbled over a few gnarled roots but kept up with the pace of his companions. He glanced at Leia who seemed to be fairing better than he was. She was walking next to Han, and the two looked so…right next to each other. He smiled thinking that they wouldn't share his sentiment with all the fighting they do. Luke tipped his head to the side. Funny, they weren't fighting now. Perhaps their ordeal in the ventilation system brought them to a truce. But then again, this was Han and Leia. Luke gazed at Leia a bit longer, there was something…

Luke took a few quick steps to catch up to her. "Leia, are you okay?"

She turned big brown surprised eyes at him. "Of course."

Han looked at her and then to Luke. "Why wouldn't she be?"

Han glanced at the princess again. She smiled at Luke and then grabbed his hand. She definitely looked okay to him. He was with her the whole entire time she was in the ventilation system. He made sure she got out and was safe. Well, maybe Luke helped a little with the getting out part. That didn't matter, though. It sounded as if Luke thought Han hadn't been careful enough with his precious princess. And now she was gracing Luke with a smile, even holding his hand. Han sighed loudly, causing the other two to look in his direction. This irked him even more. Why did he even care she was being friendly with Luke?

Han stomped on ahead of them, forcing the pair to quicken their steps. Both Luke and Leia were nearly out of breath by the time they reached the foot of the ramp of the Falcon. Chewbacca welcomed them with wave and a growl and then followed Han into the cockpit.

"What got into him?" Luke asked

Leia didn't bother answering. It had been a long day, or long night. She wasn't sure which at this point. All she knew was that she wasn't going to let her weariness prevent her from seeing the rest of the mission through to the end. She regally entered the cockpit, ignoring Han's irritable look, and strapped herself into the navigator's seat. Luke figured he didn't want to be left out of the action, so he strapped himself in the seat behind Chewbacca.

Han and Chewbacca lifted the _Falcon_ off the planet in silence. Luke wasn't sure he could attribute the silence to the pair knowing each other inside and out, or that Han was in a very bad mood, and Chewie was just avoiding a major blow out. Luke glanced at Leia who seemed to on the verge of breaking the tense silence, and he doubted that whatever she had to say wasn't going to be very flattering to the captain.

"How long will it take to get to the rendezvous point?" Luke asked before anyone else had a chance to say anything.

"Too long," Han muttered as he made some adjustments on the control panel. "Hey, Your Worship. Do you have the coordinates to that rendezvous point, or do I have to ask Luke to use his Jedi powers?"

Leia's eyebrows sunk low as she prepared to let Han know how she felt about his nickname for her, but Luke placed his hand on hers. She took a calming breath, rattled off the coordinates, and looked over Han's shoulder to make sure he got it right. That little action wasn't loss on Han. He did his best to ignore it. After all, it had been a long day, night, whatever. He just didn't think he had the energy to get into another squabble with the princess.

An alarm sounded, and Chewbacca flipped a switch shutting it off. He mumbled something to Han.

"What class?" Han scanned the readouts that Chewie referred to. "Sith," he cursed, "Why can't things ever be easy?"

"What's wrong?"

"Looks like a Star Destroyer just dropped out of hyperspace. They haven't detected us yet." Han pressed his lips together for a moment. "Let's make sure it stays that way. Chewie, set three-four-seven." Han reached up, and his fingers deftly moved over the buttons. "Punch it before their sensors come up."

Luke and Leia exchanged worried looks and were slammed back in their seats as the _Falcon_ picked up speed but stayed close to the planets surface. Han and Chewbacca gracefully guided the ship away from the prying sensors of the Star Destroyer. Once they were clear, the _Falcon_ rose above the atmosphere and jumped into hyperspace.

"Maybe some things can be easy," Luke smiled.

Han pulled on his chin, "It may have just been luck." He shook his head, and Chewbacca gave his opinion on the situation. "Yeah," Han agreed. "Scillion is a backwater planet. I think the Grand Moff Fridola was too confident. There weren't even stormtroopers in the area, and those security guards weren't exactly the Emperor's finest."

"Fridola wanted to keep his research and plans quiet," Leia contributed. "There's not a lot of Imperial involvement in this region. Martial law is upheld by the local governors and their armed forces."

"If you want to call them armed," Han interrupted.

"Would you rather they better armed?" Leia raised an eyebrow. Han didn't answer, and Leia continued, "A flurry of stormtroopers would bring too much attention."

"Scare the local governors," Han clarified. Then a thought came to him, "Fridola wanted to make sure what he had was good enough to present to the higher-ups. That way they'd give him more power, maybe even a better position that wasn't located in the middle of nowhere."

"And our little fiasco in one of their government buildings forced Fridola to call in reinforcements," Leia sighed.

"Yeah," Han swiveled around to face Luke and Leia. "I sure would hate to be him right now." He flashed them a lop-sided grin.

The princess rolled her eyes, "I just hope they didn't detect us before we jumped to hyperspace."

"Are you calling my ship slow?" Han leaned forward in his seat. Chewbacca growled and let out a sigh.

"It's not exactly— "

Luke rose before Leia could finish, "How long will it take to get to the rendezvous point?"

Han's eyes never left Leia's, and Chewbacca chortled. Han glanced at Chewie and then addressed the entire crew, "four hours, five tops." He rose out of his seat, "I suggest we get a little rest. Chewie can keep a watch on things."

A fierce growl escaped from Chewbacca, and Han turned tired, angry eyes on his best friend, "Oh, please tell me that you didn't spend the entire time that we were breaking in and escaping from government buildings eating and sleeping!" Chewie tried to deny it, but Han raised a finger at him, "I know you too well." The pair stared at each for a moment longer before Chewbacca backed down. Han's mouth stretched into a triumphant smile, and Chewie grumbled and looked out the canopy.

"Chewie says enjoy your rest," Han moved to exit the cockpit. "I know I sure will."

Luke and Leia were left looking at Chewie. Leia was the one to voice their concern, "Are you sure, Chewie?"

Chewbacca answered them with a positive nod, a dismissive wave of the hand, and what sounded like comforting sounds. Luke patted the Wookie on his shoulder, "I'll keep you company, and I won't take 'no' for an answer." Chewbacca shrugged. Luke turned to Leia, "You should get some rest. You look tired."

Leia hesitated for a moment, but her weariness was beginning to get the best of her. She gave Luke a short hug. "Thanks," Leia smiled, and she exited the cockpit, relieved to have a respite.

Finally clean and freshly dressed, Han lied down on one of the crew's bunk and put a pillow over his head. His mind was racing with thoughts about the day: what could have gone wrong, what could have gone better, how good his draw was, did anyone appreciate it? All he wanted now was for sleep to take over, especially before Luke came in. Sometimes Luke just doesn't get the hint when Han's not in the mood for talking, and somehow Luke always knows when Han was awake. Although he willed himself not to, he stayed vigilant of Luke's entrance.

And then Han was there again, in the snow, holding Leia. He pressed his hand hard against the gaping wound in Leia's chest, trying to stop the flow of blood. The snow continued to fall, only it had slowed, and individual snowflakes gently powdered the pair. The moment the flakes touched the princess' face, they melted instantly, giving the illusion of tears. Her countenance spoke of different emotions. No pain or discomfort contorted her face. Instead, she was smiling up at him, only closing her eyes to blink away stray snowflakes. She looked more relaxed than Han had ever seen. Her mouth was moving, and he knew she was speaking to him, but he could hear nothing. _What?_ He tried to ask, but no words touched his ears. _Please tell me, what…_ Again, nothing came. He glanced at her wound and noticed that his attempts to slow the blood only seemed to make things worse. His own chest convulsed with anxiety. She tried to raise her head, to position herself closer to his ear. Han leaned down, and she pressed searing lips against his cheek—

Han awoke with a gasp. He placed his hand on the spot where the Leia in his dreams had kissed him. His cheek felt warm and it tingled a little. Visibly shaken, he sat up and clung to the edge of the bed, telling himself that it had only been a dream. But the kiss…. it felt so real. Everything felt real. _It was just a dream_. Han lied back down on the bunk and closed his eyes. They immediately shot open, and he sat up again. So much for sleep. He looked at the chrono. They'd be reaching the rendezvous point pretty soon. He stretched his body as he stood and pulled on his blaster rig and boots. Guess it was time to face Chewie in the cockpit.

Han stomped passed his open cabin. "Rise and shine, Your Worshipfulness." He stole a brief look into the room at Leia curled up in a ball fast asleep in his bed. He was still furious with her, though he didn't really know why. "We're approaching the rendezvous point. Don't want to keep your precious rebels waiting." He continued on to the cockpit without a second glance.

"So where are they?" Han asked his hairy co-pilot as he slid into the pilot's seat. Chewbacca grumbled in reply. "Just great. So were out here like sittin' wuberbies." Chewie growled and pointed out the canopy. "I see it."

Luke leaned forward, "Hey, is that the ship we're supposed to send the files to?"

Han shrugged, "Ask the princess."

"Where is she?" Luke asked.

"Working on her beauty sleep." Han rolled his eyes. "Go wake Her Sleeping Beauty up, and tell her to get in here."

Luke hastily rose from his seat, "I'm surprised she's still asleep."

"I guess royalty can sleep all they want while we meager humans have to do all the work," Han rattled off with a bit more anger in his voice than he meant. He looked at Chewbacca, "What's our ETA?" Han gave his partner a nod, "At least that gives us a little time." He propped his feet on the console, crossed his arms behind his head, and leaned back to catch a few more moments of sleep. Chewbacca grumbled. "Don't ask," was all Han said.

Luke quickly found Han's cabin which was still open. He looked at the girl curled upon the bed from his position in the doorway. "Leia?" He called. She didn't move. He looked up and down the hallway unsure of what to do next. "Leia?" He called a little louder. Still no answer. Luke sighed and entered the room. He stood over her sleeping form. She looked so peaceful, her head resting upon her arm and her legs pulled close to her body. She was still wearing the Scillion costume, including her boots.

"Leia," Luke nudged her shoulder and still got no response. He pushed her with a firmer hand. Leia rolled back unto the pillow, but she failed to wake up.

"Han!" Luke's frantic tone carried through the Falcon and into the cockpit causing Han to cringe.

"A little busy here." Han yelled back. "Get Leia up here."

Luke rushed into the cockpit without the princess in tow. "Han—"

Han swung around in his seat. " Where is she? That ship will blow us out of space if we don't send it the confirmation code."

"She's not waking up!"

"What?"

"I think something's wrong."


	7. Chapter 7

CHAPTER 7:

"What's that?" Han swiveled around to face Luke.

"Something's wrong!" Luke yelled. "Leia won't wake up!"

Han bit his lip, "Chewie, how much time do we have before that ship will be in range?" Han rose from his seat nodding in reply to Chewie, "Stall a bit." Chewbacca rowfed and guffed. "I don't know. You figure it out."

With that Han headed to his cabin followed closely by Luke. "Stupid time to take sleeping pills." Han mumbled.

"Huh? Sleeping pills?"

Han ignored Luke and headed straight for the side table. He picked up the bottle of sleeping pills Leia had left on the table. Luke squeezed in to get a look.

"Oh no!" he exclaimed. "Only three left? How many do you think she took?"

Han put the bottle down and turned his attention to the sleeping princess. "None." He knelt down next to the bed.

"How do you know that?" Luke's question came out more accusing than he meant, but Han didn't seem to notice.

"There were only three in the bottle." Han nudged Leia's shoulder and then lightly tapped her face. "Leia."

"Did you give her these?" Luke held up the bottle to his face to inspect the pills more closely.

"Huh?" Han glanced at him and shook his head. "No!" he placed his hand on the princess' forehead and then commed the cockpit. "Chewie? How are things up there?" Han paused and listened for a moment. "Just great! Forget it. I need you down here."

Luke's face contorted with concern. "What's wrong with her?"

Han moved Leia into a sitting position and supported her with his body. "Get her boots and socks off." Han began to remove the apron from Leia's still unconscious body. "Why—" it was when Luke grabbed her bare leg did he understand. "She's burning up!"

Chewie rushed in. Han glanced up and gave orders, "Get the thermometer from the medkit." Chewie left the room and Han got back to the task at hand. He began undoing Leia's tunic. Luke stopped what he was doing, unsure he should let Han continue what he's doing.

"Hurry up, Luke," Han ordered. "We've got to cool her down. Chewie!"

Chewbacca came in and handed the thermometer to Han. Han leaned Leia's head back against his chest and placed the thermometer into her mouth. Chewie and Luke held their breath as they waited for the results.

"Damn!" Han read the thermometer and handed it to Luke. Chewbacca glanced at the results and then rushed out of the room.

"106.9? Isn't that—"

"Real bad," Han pulled the tunic from Leia's body revealing a delicately laced tank top underneath. Han's eye's widened for a moment. "Who would have thought…" Then he heard the water running in the 'fresher. He scooped the princess into his arms and rushed toward the 'fresher.

Luke followed him, "What are you doing?"

Han carried Leia under the flow of the water. "I'm cooling down the ice princess."

With her still in his arms, he slid into a seated position against the wall and let the flow of the cold water fall unto Leia's body. He cradled her head against his chest, shielding her face from the pounding water with his hand.

"Chewie, go check the status of that ship!" Chewbacca rushed away and Han returned his attention to the girl in his arms. "Come on, Sweetheart." He whispered softly into her hair. "Wake up."

Luke awkwardly stood in the doorway unsure what to do. So he just stood in the doorway, head tilted to the side, and watched Han take care of Leia. Han had rested his chin on the top of her head and continued whispering to her, shielding her face from the water with one hand, and the other stroking her tangled hair. He held her tight against him in such a protective way that Luke absently wondered from whom or what was he protecting her.

Han looked up to Luke, and Luke blushed, feeling like he intruded on an intimate moment. "Go see if Chewie's taken care of our problem."

Luke rushed out. He had completely forgotten about the possible rebel ship waiting for the transfer files. He squeezed into the pilot's seat next to Chewbacca. "What's happening out there?"

Chewbacca grunted and grumbled and did a bit of pointing, but Luke wasn't exactly sure what he said. Luke frowned, "Is that them? Who else could they be? Why can't we just send them the files?"

Chewbacca raised his eyes to the ceiling and let out what was the Wookie equivalent of a human sigh of exasperation. Then he tried to explain to his naïve little friend who didn't understand Wookie. Luke listened to Chewbacca's answer and tried to comprehend it as best as he could. There seemed to be no hope. But then he remembered that Han needed Leia. "Only Leia has the confirmation code."

Chewie rolled his eyes and grumbled at Luke's slow intake.

"What can we do?" Chewie answered by changing courses. "We can't just leave! Leia will be devastated if we don't get those files transferred."

Chewbacca lunged and wailed to make himself understood by Luke. Luke leaned back, "Of course. I wasn't thinking. There's no way to identify ourselves without that confirmation code. They'll think we're hostile." Luke's face fell. "Leia will be devastated."

Chewie mumbled something and Luke looked up, "At least all the data on the biochemical weapons has been destroyed. That's gotta count for something." Chewbacca nodded. But then another thought came to Luke's mind, one not so optimistic, "But if we don't get to transfer the files to that ship, the Alliance can't use the information to get support from the other planets. Leia's going to be devastated."

Chewbacca grabbed Luke by the shoulders and forced him to look back through the open cockpit door, and Luke didn't have any trouble understanding Chewie this time. "Leia!" Luke got up and started towards the 'fresher. He stopped. "Is she going to be okay?" Chewie shrugged, but his blue eyes reflected his worry. "Oh no.." Luke breathed. "She has to be.." With that, Luke rushed back to the 'fresher.

Without realizing it, Han started reciting old Corellian prayers he had long forgotten. In between prayers, he pleaded with Leia to open her eyes, to wake up. He shivered and his lips were blue, but he was determined to stay as long as he had to in order to cool her down. His chest ached, but it had nothing to do with the freezing water. His heart was tangled up in itself, and he felt as if it were to explode at any minute. He tried to calm his breathing. Panicking wouldn't help her any, but he wasn't sure what would help her. He tightened his hold on her, afraid that if he'd let go even just a bit she'd die in his arms.

Luke stopped at the doorway, and Han took a moment to glance up at him. "What's Chewie doing?"

"He's slowed our approach. That should give us a little more time. There's no way to get the files to that rebel ship without the confirmation code." Luke reported.

Han only gave him a short nod to confirm that he heard Luke's words. Luke couldn't tell if the streams of water flowing down Han's face were tears or just water from the shower. Han placed a soft kiss on top of Leia's head. She wasn't going to be happy about this. He knew she'd take the blame but would most likely take it out on him. That didn't matter. All he wanted was her to be better, to be yelling at him and calling him names.

Han froze when he felt Leia's head move. Did he cause it or—

"Han?" Leia attempted to look up to him. "It's cold." She whispered through chattering teeth.

Han let out a laugh of relief. "Yeah, it's definitely cold." Then he nodded to Luke. "Turn off the water and get the thermometer." Leia tried to sit up on her own found that she didn't have the strength, and her head lulled back against Han's chest. "Hang on, Sweetheart." Han adjusted her into a more comfortable position. He feared her fever hadn't broke and they'd be stuck under the shower of freezing water a bit longer. He sighed when Luke returned with the thermometer. He quickly moved to put it in Leia's mouth.

Eyes still closed, Leia tried to push it away. "What's this?"

"Now's not the time to get difficult, Your Worship!" Han admonished the girl. "Open your mouth." To Han's surprise, she obeyed him. He took this as a bad sign. If she felt better she wouldn't have been so compliant. Han looked back to Luke, "Go get Chewie."

Chewbacca came in with several towels and waited for Han's instruction. Han kept the thermometer under Leia's tongue and held his breath until it beeped. He brought it up to his eyes to read it, and her head fell against his chest. Han let out a long breath. "One hundred point five." Still high, but safer. A few ice packs should bring it down further. He began to awkwardly get up with the princess still in his arms. Chewie stepped over and lifted Leia from his arms and wrapped her in two towels. Luke gave Han a couple of towels as well. Luke sensed Han wasn't feeling too well and hoped he wasn't getting what Leia had. Han was soaking wet and shivering with blue tinted lips. His shivering was so bad that he was having trouble walking.

"You need to get warmed up," Luke put a hand around his friend and helped him. Feeling completely drained emotionally more so than physically, he took Luke's help without an argument. "We need to scan Leia and find out why she had a fever."

"Chewie can do that," Luke said. "You need to get out of these wet clothes."

Han looked down at himself and frowned. He was so busy tending to Leia that he had forgotten to remove his boots and blaster holder. "Hope these dry out."

Luke led his shivering friend to the cabin Leia was using. Han stepped away from his friend. "Go keep watch on that ship."

Luke took off in a trot, and Han stood in the room. It was the first time he noticed how Leia's belongings mixed in with his. A flash of his nightmare crossed his mind, an image of the princess wrapped in his coat. He shook his head, grabbed some dry clothes, and quickly changed. He was about to go check on Leia when the Falcon lurched violently, and Han recognized an evasive maneuver characteristic of Luke's piloting. He rushed to the cockpit.

"They fired on us!" Luke's blue eyes were wide with surprise.

"That's cos they don't know who we are," Han drawled sarcastically. "Set course four-eight-seven-delta-five. I'm going to check on Leia."

Luke did as he was told, giving them some distance from the firing ship. Fortunately, the ship didn't seem to be following the Falcon. Luke wondered if it was retreating and if the chance to transfer the files would be lost.

Meanwhile, Han rushed into the medical bay just as Chewbacca finished scanning the princess. Han swallowed hard as he saw the look in his friend's eyes. He looked down at Leia whose sleepy eyes held confusion.

"What is it?" she asked. She was feeling better, tired maybe, but it was a long day.

Chewbacca, not looking at the princess, addressed Han with a low grumble. "What do you mean, you don't know?" The anger in Han's voice was evident. Chewbacca answered him back in a similar tone. "Do it again!"

"He's already scanned me three times," Leia closed her eyes.

"I don't care—" but Chewie gruffly cut him off. Han stared into his friend's steely blue eyes and then let out a long sigh. He looked down at Leia who was now staring up at him as if she expected him to have all the answers in the universe. Somehow, that only made him angrier. He turned his back on both of them, wishing he did have the answers.

Chewbacca stepped up behind his old friend and placed a hairy paw on Han's shoulder. He mumbled something and began fiddling with the scanner. Han turned back to Leia.

The princess pulled herself into a sitting position. "Maybe it's nothing."

"Nothing?" Han yelled. "Nothing? You call a hundred and seven temperature nothing?"

Leia touched her forehead and cheeks. "I don't have a temperature now. Feel."

Han stepped over to her. His mouth quirked into a small grimace as he tried to hide the pleasure her invitation incited. He slowly leaned over her and touched his lips gently against her forehead. She was trembling, but to his surprise, she didn't pull away. He lingered there a little longer than he needed to.

When he pulled back, she was staring at him with one brow arched up. "Well?"

"You're still more than a little warm," Han answered truthfully, but he couldn't let the opportunity pass him by. "But maybe you're right. I should check you again."

"I'm fine," She pushed him away.

"Look," Han put his hands on his hips. "You don't look fine. You are obviously very sick."

"I'm not—"

Han hushed her with an accusing finger, "Stop!" He turned away and rubbed his hand over his eyes. Then he turned menacing eyes at Chewbacca, "Why haven't you asked her if she has any other symptoms?"

Chewie's loudly growled, but Leia answered for him, "I don't speak Wookie, or have you forgotten that?"

"Right," He slowly faced her again, his voice quieted, "Leia, please be honest with me. How do you really feel?"

She held his gaze and bit her lip. Han moved to lean against the wall. If she wasn't honest with him, how could he possible help her?

But to his surprise she answered him, "My…my head aches a bit. I feel a little shaky." The princess let out a sigh. "I probably just have a cold, and it's been a long day. What's the big deal?" She rubbed her eyes with both hands.

Han grabbed her left arm and examined the scratch that she obtained in the vent. A deep purple color radiated around the angry red tear in her skin. "Chewie, did you see this?"

Scanner in hand, Chewbacca moved closer to the princess to get a better look at her wound and grumbled. "Yeah, it could be the cause."

"It's just a scratch."

Han lifted her arm a bit higher to get a better look, "How did it happen?"

"I don't know," Leia pulled her arm from his grip. "I think I might have scratched myself on one of those projectiles."

"You think?"

Leia folded her arms across her chest, "I'm pretty sure that was it."

Han looked up at his co-pilot, "Whaddya think?" He nodded at Chewbacca's response. "Yeah, it was a biochemical research lab. We need a better scanner to find out what exactly it is." Chewbacca handed his friend a tube of bacta gel and a sterile bandage.

"It's just a scratch!" Leia futilely argued as Han tended the wound.

He was about to protest, but Luke's frantic voice screamed over the comm. "Han, Chewie! Get up here!"

Chewbacca dropped the scanner and headed for the cockpit. Han's mouth closed for a moment. "Don't move. If you've been poisoned, moving will just make the poison move faster through your system." He ordered the girl and started to leave.

"I told you I was fine," Leia argued through gritted teeth. She decided to prove it. She pushed the thin sheet off of her, dropped her stocking feet to the ground, and stood up. The minute she let go of the bed, she swayed and was forced to sit back down.

Han rushed over to her, but she had already lied back down, her hand over her eyes. "Leia?"

"I'm fine!" she yelled. "I just stood up too fast."

"Look, I don't have time for this." He yelled. She revved up for a fight, but a firm finger extinguished any protest. "Don't move!" Leia gave him a sour look, that was all, and he didn't think she had the strength to try that stunt again. "I'll be back."

"Can't wait," Leia mumbled behind closed eyes.

"That's the spirit," Han left before she could get in a last word.

. Luke turned to Chewbacca when he entered, "They're retreating."

Han stormed straight to the pilot's seat that Luke had evacuated. "Nothin' we can do about that," Han shrugged.

"But we need to get those files to them," Luke whined.

Han knitted his brow. He watched the other ship for a moment. "Leia's awake." He turned to Luke. "Get the code and files from her. Make sure she stays where she is." Then he and Chewbacca began closing the gap between the ships, hoping that the other ship wouldn't fire on them.

"Leia," Luke stood at the door of the medical bay. "What's the confirmation code?"

She abruptly sat up. "They're here?"

Luke nodded, "Yeah, they fired on us. I don't know if it's too late."

Leia moved to get up. "No, just tell me." Luke ordered. "Han said that you should stay here."

"I can't." Leia stood up a little shaky, and Luke held a hand out to steady her. "The code has to be in my voice. Go get the files. They're in my pouch."

Luke let her go and rushed to do what he was told.

"Where's Luke?" Han circled the Falcon around trying to avoid another lucky shot by the small but well-armed ship. Chewbacca roared.

"Open communications," Han turned to see Leia approaching him. Luke rushed in after her.

"What are you doing up!" Han yelled.

Luke jumped in before they blew up into another fight, "The code has to be in her voice!"

Leia was standing next to him. "Well?" Despite her regal tone, Leia looked more like a shaken child. She was wearing a T-shirt more than a few sizes too big for her and only socks on her feet. Her face was pale, and her dark eyes seemed larger than ever. He slammed the comm button a little harder than he meant. She stepped next to him. Just as she begun to say the code, she swayed. Luke rushed forward to catch her, but Han swiveled his chair around and caught her in his lap.

Leia didn't move but continued her mission. "Stratosphere Five, this is alpha-8-0-beta. Confirm."

For a moment everyone in the cockpit held their breath. Then a hoarse voice crackled an answer, "Alpha-8-0-beta cleared, this is Stratosphere Five. Ready for transfer."

Leia leaned forward, holding herself steady on the Falcon's controls and oblivious to the support Han was giving her. "Transfer commencing."

Luke rushed forward and slipped the files into the port. After several seconds of blips and beeps, the Stratosphere Five answered, "Transfer complete. Good luck. Stratosphere Five out." The Falcon's crew watched the other ship disappear into hyperspace.

Han turned to Leia who was still seated in his lap, "Why Princess, this is so sudden."

"Ooh!" Leia pushed herself off of his lap. "You need to work on keeping the Falcon steadier." She pulled herself to full height. "I'm surprised that your poor piloting didn't knock me through the canopy."

Han snapped at her, "Poor piloting? I think it's your poor balance. Or was it a ploy just to get close to me?"

"You're impossible!" Leia placed her hands on her hips.

Han opened his mouth, but Chewbacca cut him off. His rant was pointed at the princess even though she wouldn't understand what he said. But Han understood. He rose out of the pilot's seat and approached Leia. "Can't you follow the simplest orders?"

Leia backed up, "What orders?"

"Han—" Luke interceded, stepping closer to Leia.

"Neither of you!" Han grabbed the princess.

"What are you doing!" Leia wiggled and twisted to release herself from his grip, but Han easily lifted her into his arms. Way too easy, and that worried Han even more. He carried her back to the medical bay followed by Luke.

"Han! Is that necessary?"

Han whirled around and addressed the younger man, "You! Stay out of this!"

"But Han—" Luke yelled to Han's back. Leia was still struggling out of Han's hold.

"I'm warning you!"

Luke hung back at the door, eagerly trying to stay out of Han's wrath, but at the same time, he wanted to be ready to step in if Han's anger got the best of him. Luke had nothing to worry about. Han gently placed her on the bed in the medical bay. He pulled the discarded sheet over her and tried to ignore her indignant pout. She wasn't looking at him. Han grabbed her chin, forcing her to look at him. He leaned close, "You're obviously not well. Do you understand that?"

Her big brown eyes held a fire that mesmerized Han. "Do you understand how important it was to get those files—"

"Agh! Is that all you care about?" He turned away from her.

"It was my responsibility," she whispered.

Han sat down on the bed and turned back to her. "You have no sense of self-preservation!"

"Just because I place more important things before myself—"

"Spare me, Your Worship!" Han interrupted. He stared down at her, his eyes as angry as hers. But then he softened and placed a hand on her forehead. "I might not always be there…"

"I know," She whispered, tears welling up in her eyes. Han was frozen for a moment by this uncharacteristic show of emotion. Was she upset because he snapped at her? Or could she be upset because he might leave? But he shook that hopeful thought from his head. She was sick, gravely sick, and maybe now she was taking that seriously.

He reached over and grabbed the thermometer, "Open up." She blinked away her tears and opened her mouth. He placed the thermometer in her mouth, suppressing a smile as her lips made a pout around it. His heart ached at the sight of her so fragile. He wasn't used to seeing her this way. Where was that tough, regal, ice princess with the sharp tongue that he was used to? Not that he didn't mind seeing her more relaxed. He preferred those rare moments when she let her guard down. But seeing her looking so weak, it scared him. He fingered the braid of hair that seemed to have a life of its own. "Chewie do this for you?" She nodded, and he removed the thermometer from her mouth. "Maybe he should be your on-call hairdresser."

"Maybe," she smiled weakly.

Han studied the thermometer with a grim look. "Still on the high side." He got up to fetch a few ice packs. Then he noticed Luke lingering in the doorway. "Go get some ice packs, kid." Luke disappeared. Han turned back to Leia and picked up her hand. "Hold your hands out." She did as she told. Her hands trembled and she immediately clasped them together and placed them on her lap. "Nothing, right? Squeeze my hand." She rolled her eyes but complied. "Hard as you can." Her grip tightened, but Han could barely detect the increase. He let out a sigh and bit his lip.

"What?" Leia looked up at him.

Han's brow knitted. He didn't have an answer to that question, but things for her were not improving. Something was definitely wrong. "You need to rest, Sweetheart," Han placed her hand on her stomach. He reached up and dimmed the light over the bed. Luke came in and handed Han several ice packs. Han placed one against her forehead and packed the rest around her small frame.

"Is this necessary?" Leia asked in her accustomed tone.

"Yes," Han gruffly answered, relieved to hear the Leia he was used to.

He turned to Luke and wrapped an arm around the younger man's shoulders, leading him out of the room. Once they were out of earshot, Han let go of Luke.

"You have to be firmer with her!" He admonished. "When I tell you to do something, do it!"

"Firmer with her?" Luke was taken aback. "This is Leia we're talking about!" He snapped uncharacteristically. But then Luke recovered his level tone. "No one but Leia could have sent that transmission, and you know that."

Han opened his mouth but then closed it. He let out an impatient huff before he continued, "What is it with you two?" He walked away unsure he was going to be able to handle his anger.

"What?" Luke followed him.

Han turned around abruptly. "Anything for your precious rebellion, huh? Even at the expense of Leia's life!"

Luke sharply inhaled, "What do you mean? Of course I value Leia's life over the rebellion! How can you say--"

Han cut him off. "Leia's very sick."

"With what?"

"I don't know, but whatever it is, she's getting worse," Han ran his hands through his hair and leaned against the wall. Suddenly the day's events were taking a toll on him. "She might have been poisoned."

"Poisoned?" Luke exclaimed. "But how?"

"I don't know," Han looked at Luke who seemed panic-stricken. Han paused, wondering if he should share anymore, but then figured Luke would find out anyway. "She might have picked it up in the ventilation system."

Luke looked down at the floor. He was the one who was supposed to be in the vent. He should have been the one who was sick. And now he'd been too busy worrying about the transfer of the files to notice Leia's condition. Suddenly he was overwhelmed with guilt and worry. "Poisoned with what?"

Han looked away from his young friend, "I don't know."

"Didn't you scan her?" Luke accused.

"Of course!" Han yelled back, "but our scanner isn't that good. Couldn't tell us what's wrong with her."

Luke said nothing for the moment as his mind mulled over the information he just received. He then put a hand on Han's shoulder, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to get upset."

Han's lips pressed together, and eyes met Luke's, "Me too."

Chewbacca interrupted the two friends. He addressed Han for a moment. "Krest!"

"What's wrong?" Luke asked as he followed Han and Chewbacca to the cockpit.

"Another ships approaching," Han answered. "Good chance it's Imperial."

"We better get out of here before they detect us."

"Do you really think?" Han drawled sarcastically, but Luke seemed to take no notice to his older friend's tone.

Chewbacca exchanged words with Han. Han nodded and his mind began to churn.

"What are you waiting for?" Luke asked from the navigator's seat

"What's the nearest system?" Han ignored Luke. He waited for Chewie to respond. "Okay, set a course for Ord Mantell."

"We need to get back to the base," Luke argued. "Leia needs medical attention."

"That's what she's going to get," Han flipped a few switches. "Okay ready for the jump."

"Then we should be heading to the base! The medics can take care of it."

But the Falcon had made its jump and was now hurdling through space at light speed toward Ord Mantell.


	8. Chapter 8

CHAPTER 8:

"Han!" Luke yelled, now irritated and angry because he was being ignored. "Why can't we just go back to the base? The rebels have medics on call."

Han swiveled around in his chair to face Luke, "The base is too far, and their equipment is on the dated side." Han explained as if Luke was a small child. "Ord Mantell has the best medical technology, and it's a lot closer than the base is."

Luke looked down at the floor. "Her condition is that serious?"

Han's eyes roamed the ceiling, "I don't know. All I know is that she's getting worse." Luke looked as if his whole world crashed down. Han knew how he felt. "Why don't you make sure Leia is resting? We should reach Ord Mantell in approximately six hours."

Luke nodded and headed to the medical bay to check on the princess. When he entered, she shifted her position in order to greet him.

"Luke." She flashed a warm smile. "What's wrong?"

"What's wrong??" Luke couldn't hide his anger.

Leia let out a sigh. "I'm fine. I'm just tired, that's all."

Luke dropped his head and headed over to the princess. "Sorry." He pulled up a chair and sat next to her. He reached out and tentatively touched her forehead. Leia grabbed his hand.

"Now you're acting like Han."

"You don't have to insult me," Luke laughed, and Leia laughed as well.

The princess reached above her head and removed the ice pack that had fallen upon the pillow. "Here." She handed it to Luke. "I'm tired of this thing."

"But it's to keep your fever down," Luke argued.

"I'm fine," Leia countered.

"No…" Luke trailed off, unable to finish his sentence. He put the ice pack on the shelf behind him.

"Luke," Leia reached for his hand, "Stop worrying so much."

He paused and turned back to her. "How can I not?"

The princess ignored him, dropped his hand, and made to stand up.

"What are you doing?" Luke pushed her back down.

"What do you think I'm doing?" she batted his hands away.

"Han says you shouldn't move," he whined.

Leia rolled her eyes, "Last I looked, I out-rank him." She pulled herself to her feet but didn't let go of the bed.

"But Han's not even an official member of the rebellion," Luke countered.

"Exactly!" Leia made her way to the door on unsteady legs. Luke extended his hands, and she allowed him to help her.

"Where do you think you're going?"

Leia arched an eyebrow, "If I'm going to spend my time lying in bed, I'd rather do it in a more comfortable bed."

Her companion laughed, "I'm sure Han would love to hear about how comfortable you think his bed is."

"You better not," Leia warned.

"Wouldn't think of it." Luke laughed.

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

Han eased into the pilot's seat, "That girl is going to be the death of me, Chewie." Chewbacca chortled and roared in agreement, but his tone then grew somber.

"I know," Han leaned back in his chair. "Going to Ord Mantell is risky, but do you have any better ideas?"

He was a little relieved when Chewbacca shook his head "no". Han was uneasy about the whole idea, but he couldn't think of anything better. Sure they ran the risk of him and Chewie being recognized, but Ord Mantell did have the best medical technology.

Chewbacca asked Han another question, "Yeah. I think Rainer will help. He owes me a favor." Han ran his fingers along the console in thought. Rainer was a stand-up kind of guy, but he kept some shady company. An uneasy feeling tied knots in Han's stomach. Han had made some enemies that work for Rainer, but if anyone had the technology and resources to help Leia, it'd be Rainer.

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

Luke picked up Leia's discarded clothes as she settled in to Han's bed. He folded them neatly and placed them on the chair. He moved to pick up Han's wet clothes.

"No one will ever accuse Han of being a neat freak."

Luke looked up at the smirking princess as he moved to place Han's discarded clothes into the laundry hamper Han kept in his closet, "He was worried about you." He picked up Han's sodden blaster holster. "I hope this dries out."

"He went into the shower with that?" Leia asked quietly.

"He was only thinking about you," Luke said absently as he examined the blaster holster with the blaster still in it.

"Thinking about me?" Leia whispered barely audible. Han Solo so worried about her that he didn't even think to remove his blaster, let alone the holster? "Here," she held out her hands to Luke. "Let me see."

Luke handed the blaster to the princess. It lay heavy in her hands, and she fumbled with its awkwardness. She popped out the energy pack, shook it for a moment, and then held it up to her eyes. She cast it aside. Then she examined the blaster more closely. "It'll need a new power pack, but it'll still work." She started to hand it back to Luke.

"I always knew you wanted to fiddle with my blaster, Sweetheart," Han flashed a lop-sided grin as he entered his cabin, carrying a glass of water.

The princess raised an eyebrow, "Seems to me it can't fire." She tossed him useless power pack. He easily caught it with his free hand and tossed it aside.

"But did you just say 'it'll still work'"? He spread his arms in triumph.

"Give me another power pack," Leia closed one eye and aimed the useless blaster at Han, "and we'll see just how well your blaster still works."

Han reached out and disarmed the princess and chuckled, "Funny. How you feeling?"

Leia let out a long sigh, "I'm fine. I wish you'd all stop fussing."

Han ignored her, "Here, drink up." He ordered her. "Don't want you to get dehydrated." Leia took the glass from him and drank it. Han smiled, "It'll be six hours until we reach Ord Mantell."

"Ord Mantell?"

Han placed his hands on her shoulders and gently forced her to lie down, "Trust me." He flashed her a cocky lopsided grin and Luke rolled his eyes at Han's apparent attempt to bait the princess. Of course it worked.

"Trust you!" Leia tried to sit up. "Look what happened the last time I trusted you?" Han leaned over her and kissed her on the forehead, and her cheeks reddened with fury.

"We got out, didn't we?"

"Thanks to Luke!"

"You should get some sleep," Luke pulled Han away from the princess before he could retaliate. "I'll make sure Leia stays hydrated." Luke continued to push Han out of his own cabin. Han winked at the girl and then allowed Luke to guide him out. He chuckled to himself as he heard her squeal with anger.

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

Han swiveled around in his pilot's seat when he heard the cockpit door slide open. He nodded at his co-pilot and turned back to face the stars that were zooming by. Chewbacca greeted Han with an upbeat roar and handed him a mug with kaffe. Han unenthusiastically took the mug and sipped it slowly, never taking his eyes of the dark sky.

Chewbacca squeezed into the co-pilot's seat looking fresh and ready for a fight. The furry Wookie tilted his head and inquired into the slouching figure of his friend.

"I had a couple of hours, I think," Han yawned. But Chewbacca had suspicions about why Han hadn't slept much, and Han didn't want to hear it. "Dreams? Whaddya know about any dreams? Can't a guy just be tired?"

Chewbacca knew when to let an issue go, but his concern would definitely stay. Han took another sip of his kaffe in an attempt to calm his irritation about his partner's intuitive mind. Chewie always seemed to figure out what was bothering Han and then bring it up in a casual conversation. He gritted his teeth together and slammed his empty kaffe mug on the console. Chewbacca had sense enough not to say anything.

Han rubbed his eyes with a gloved hand. An alarm alerted, and Han leaned over to tend to it, "Cut in the sublight engines, pal."

The stars outside the ship slowed to a stop, and Han and Chewie got the first look at the planet they never expected to set foot upon again. Han looked over to Chewbacca. His best friend seemed calm and without worry. Han wished he could share his serenity. As they approached the planet, Chewie's peace of mind grated on Han's nerves, "What's with you?"

Chewbacca turned his confused blue eyes on Han and gave an explanation. Han rolled his eyes, "I know you like Rainer. It's not Rainer I'm worried about."

Chewie started the lecture Han had heard too many times. "Yeah, yeah, yeah." Han sighed. "It wasn't my fault." He gave the Wookie a warning look, but that didn't stop Chewbacca from finishing the lecture. "Look! I'm not going to do anything that will jeopardize Leia's life."

Fortunately, the _Falcon_ demanded their attention. The captain flipped a few switches, opening communications with the on-coming security ship. "Unidentified ship, state your purpose."

Han leaned over and pressed the comm button, "Personal."

"Repeat, state your purpose."

Han let out a sigh of relief. This ship was definitely one of Rainer's. "Visiting an old friend."

The other ship stayed quiet for a moment, and Han knew that it was sending the diagnostic reading of the _Falcon_ to the central station. Most likely, Rainer wasn't there, but he was definitely near by. Probably gambling or enjoying a drink at one of his many outposts. Finally, the other ship opened up communications, "Use port gamma-delta-four. Do you need an escort?"

"No thanks," Han shut off the comm. and gracefully piloted the _Falcon_ into a small landing bay that only a few of Rainer's trusted friends ever used.

Just as Han was going to lower the ramp, Luke showed up. Both Han and Chewbacca looked the boy up and down and then exchanged looks with each other.

"What?" Luke asked as he scratched the back of his head. He was dressed in his comfortable desert clothes, looking as naïve and innocent as the day they met him.

"Why don't you stay with Leia, keep a watch on her," Han suggested.

"Sure."

Once Luke disappeared, Han lowered the ramp all the way down. Just as he was about to step out, a man with a space-weathered face and long silver hair pulled tight away from his scalp stood at the bottom of the ramp ready to greet them.

Chewbacca roared a friendly greeting. "Rainer!" Han smiled. "I'm surprised you're here to greet us personally."

Rainer reached out and shook both Chewbacca and Han's hand, "I figured if you were here, you didn't really want everyone to know about it. So are you going to invite me in and tell me why you're here?"

Solo was relieved. He led Rainer up the _Falcon's_ ramp and into the lounge. After drinks were served and small talk tapered off, Han decided it was time to get down to business. "So Rainer…still have the best medical facilities in the galaxy?"

Rainer leaned back in his chair and pulled at the end of his ponytail, "Of course." He smiled at Han. "You and Chewie look a little worn, but you don't look like you're in need of my facilities. What's up?"

Han glanced at Chewbacca who gave him a curt nod. He sighed, "One of my crew members has taken ill."

"You have crew members?" Rainer laughed, his crinkly skin forming even deeper crevices around his mouth. "I thought you and Chewie worked alone."

Luke trotted into the lounge, "Leia's fever seems---oh!" he stopped when he saw Han and Chewie with Rainer. "Sorry if I interrupted." He smiled at Han's guest. "I'm Luke."

"Rainer," he firmly shook Luke's hand.

Han's eyes screwed shut. Rainer was never going to believe Luke was a crew member.

Rainer's eyes widened and he laughed some more, "Isn't he a little young?"

"Gotta train them early," Han sipped his drink, "especially when they are as slow-witted as that one."

"Hey—" Luke protested, but Chewbacca popped him on the head with his big furry paw as he went to get another drink. He then grabbed Luke's arm and insisted he help him find the good Corellian whiskey.

Rainer watched them leave. Then he turned his gold eyes on Han, "Take it, he's not the sick crew member." Han pressed his lips together, looked at the table, and shook his head. "Leia? Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't 'Leia' a female name?" Han raised his eyes to Rainer but didn't say anything. "You brought a female here?" Rainer took Han's silence as a 'yes'. "Female human?" Rainer asked slowly.

"I didn't have much choice," Han drained his glass. "She's really sick, and I didn't know where else to take her." He ran his teeth along his bottom lip.

Rainer watched him for a moment and took another sip from his glass. "Couldn't just take her to the local clinic?" he asked suspiciously.

"She's not exactly a local kind of girl," Han countered. "Our scanner couldn't tell us what she has. Thought maybe your equipment would be better."

Chewbacca returned with a bottle of whiskey followed by Luke. The two men seated at the table poured themselves another drink. Chewbacca and Luke joined them. Rainer studied Han and his crew for a moment. Luke took a swig of whiskey and began coughing uncontrollably. Chewbacca hit him gently on the back to help him get it down.

Rainer laughed again, "I don't know what you are up to, Solo, but you have a sad looking crew. And if you have a woman on your crew…."

"Yeah, yeah. I'm the laughing stock of Corellian smugglers." He favored Rainer with a smile.

Rainer let his laughter simmer into a long sigh, "Anything you need is yours, Solo." He took another drink and laughed some more, "No wonder you don't want anyone to know you're here."

"That's one of the reasons.." Han admitted.

Rainer gave him a meaningful look, "Stay out of the city. There have been some bounty hunters spotted around."

"Yeah, I kinda figured that."

"Come up to Valechia." Rainer rose to leave. "My facility up there is the best, and we have a diagnostic researcher there. He might be able to help."

"Thanks, Rainer," Han rose and shook his hand.

Rainer headed toward the ramp but stopped, "I'm not sure it's the safest place for your young crew member there," he nodded at Luke. "And Solo, make sure that you keep it quiet you have a woman with you." Rainer's gold eyes pierced Han's. "Swelen is around, and he's still mighty pissed with you."

"Great."

"He still feels you owe him."

Han huffed, "I won his ship fair and square!"

"I know that," Rainer acknowledged, "but he doesn't see it that way. After you selling it and all."

"What was I supposed to do with two ships?"

Rainer shrugged. "He figures you should have given him a chance to win it back before you sold it."

"He'd never win it back!" Han argued. "He's a terrible sabaac player."

"Not my problem," Rainer turned to leave. "Just giving you a heads up." He began down the ramp. "I'll send a speeder for you. See you later."

Han, Chewbacca, and Luke looked at each other in silence.


	9. Chapter 9

CHAPTER 9:

Chewbacca was the first to break the silence. Han looked at best friend, "Guess we should prepare Leia." Chewie chortled and Han joined in, "No, I don't think she's going to like this much."

"Like what?" Luke asked as he followed Chewbacca and Han to Han's cabin.

"Ord Mantell."

"Why?"

Han didn't bother answering. He'd find out soon enough.

Han entered the darkened cabin first and turned up the lights. The princess was sleeping, her breathing labored. He looked over at Chewbacca and frowned. He then went over to the girl, "Hey, Your Royal Holiness," he whispered, stroking her face. She was warm to the touch.

Immediately, her eyes flew open, "Han. Are we at Ord Mantell?"

"Uh-huh," He answered her. "We need to get ready for the trip."

"Trip?" she closed her eyes and rolled over on her side facing him. "I thought we were already on Ord Mantell."

"We are," he explained, "but we need to go to Valechia. It's up in the mountains, and there's no place to land the _Falcon_."

"Okay," she settled her head deeper into the pillow.

Han pulled her into a seated position, "Come on, Sweetheart. Wake up."

She answered him with a yawn, "I'm awake." Her eyes finally opened and stayed that way.

Han turned to Luke, "Hey, kid. Can you go through your clothes and find Her Worship something decent to wear?"

"Huh?"

"Why can't I wear my own clothes?"

"She needs to look more masculine," he explained to Luke. Then Han smiled at her, "Despite the fact that your clothes aren't very….feminine, you still look like a woman wearing them."

"My clothes not feminine?" Leia's voice raised an octave, causing Chewie to cover his ears for a moment. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing," Solo rolled his eyes. "We can't have you looking like a woman where we're going."

Leia's nose scrunched up as her eyes narrowed on her target, "Why not?"

Han looked at Chewbacca, "You explain this one, pal." This incited gruff laughs from Chewbacca. Han joined in.

The princess crossed her arms across her chest, "Very funny."

Han sobered up, "Females are considered…ah…"

"What?" Leia's patience with this conversation was waning.

Luke came in with an armful of clothes, "These might work." Han moved to examine the clothes. Chewbacca made a show of interest in the clothes as well.

"Han?" Leia demanded, one eyebrow arched.

Without looking at her, he finished explained, "Females are kinda like property up in the mountains. You know, traded for commodities."

"WHAT!" Leia exclaimed.

Luke looked up and laughed, "So you could trade in Leia for---" the princess cut him off with a harsh look. Luke did his best to stifle his amusement as he pictured Han trading Leia for some of that bad but rare Corellian ale that was Han's favorite.

Han turned his attention back to the angry girl, "Look, this is the last place I ever wanted to take you. But we don't have much of a choice. The best medical facilities on Ord Mantell are up in Valechia." Han went over to her and lifted her chin in his hands. "All I want is to find out what you have and get you better." Then he flashed her his best lop-sided grin, "I promise not to trade you for anything less than five cases of Corellian ale."

Luke and Chewbacca couldn't hide their amusement anymore. Leia folded her arms across her chest and glared at them, obviously irked she wasn't going to get any support from them. She turned to Han, "Certainly I'm worth at least fifty cases of that disgusting ale."

This comment incited hysterical laughter from Chewie and Luke. Taken completely of guard, Han's eyes widened. That wasn't the reaction he expected from her. But then he smiled, "Then it's a deal."

Leia sighed, "So what am I going to wear?"

Han pulled on his chin, "It'll be cold up there."

Luke held up a faded green thermal shirt, "This should work." Chewbacca held up a pair of kaki pants. Han helped Leia to her feet and she disappeared in the 'fresher to change.

When Leia opened the door, Han, Chewie, and Luke were seated on the bed. She rolled her eyes, "You guys look more ridiculous than I do." She leaned heavily against the doorframe.

Her three friends scrutinized her for a moment and exchanged looks with each other. Luke's pants barely hung on the princess' slender hips. She kept pulling them up. The shirt on the other hand, didn't hide her femininity. "She needs a belt," Luke offered.

"She needs more than that," Han stood up, searched his drawers, and pulled out a belt. He walked over to the princess and handed it to her.

Leia's fingers fumbled as she threaded the belt through the belt loops. She couldn't get her fingers to cooperate as she tried to clasp it together. Han helped her, and although she looked upon him with wary eyes, she didn't resist. He stepped back to admire his work. The belt did nothing to help hold up her pants.

Chewbacca offered his opinion, and Han turned to Luke, "Gimme your belt." Luke quickly undid his belt and handed it to Han. He helped Leia slip it on. Luke's belt was still a little loose on the tightest clasp, but it would do.

Chewbacca handed Leia one of Luke's button down shirts and gave her directions. Han translated, "Wear it over that shirt. It'll give you more bulk. Hopefully, hide some of your curves."

Leia narrowed her eyes on Han, unsure whether or not she liked that Han was observing her curves in the first place, and then pulled on the shirt. Chewie helped her button it up and roll up the sleeves so her hands were free. She started to tuck it in, but Han stopped her, "Leave it out." She did as she was told. The shirt hung to her mid-thighs, but it seemed to do the job.

"Can I lie down now?" Leia asked. Luke stood up, and Chewie helped the princess to the bed. She settled in and closed her eyes.

"What are we going to do about her hair?" Luke asked. Leia's eyes shot open.

"We can cut it off," Han suggested.

"Over your dead body," she threatened.

Han and Chewbacca began searching through Han's closet for a hat or something that would cover her head without looking too suspicious. Han stole a glance at Leia. They needed something that would conceal her face as well. She was too pretty for her own good. Well, too pretty for this situation, Han amended.

Chewbacca pulled out Han's brown fur-lined coat. Han grabbed it from his hands, "No way!" he objected. She couldn't wear that coat. Chewbacca began to argue with him, "I don't know. She just can't." Han turned away from the prying eyes of his friends. His argument wasn't rational. His objection was based on an image in a nightmare.

Luke took the coat from Chewie's paws, "Why not?" he examined it closer. "It'll conceal her hair and face, and you said it was going to be cold up there." He motioned Leia to sit up, "Here, put it on."

Han watched as Chewbacca and Luke helped Leia into the coat. He folded his arms across his chest, suddenly not feeling very well.

"Stand up for a moment," Luke ordered. He and Chewie helped the princess to her feet. Chewbacca pulled the hood over Leia's head, and Luke stepped back to admire their handiwork. "Perfect." He smiled at her. "Can't tell your female."

Leia tipped her head back to see from under the fur-lined hood. Her dark eyes searched out Han's. Han's eyes held an uncustomary fear. His chest rose and fell with each breath. "Han…"

What could he say? The coat did a good job of concealing her curves, hair, and face. And it was cold out there. Bad dreams were just that, bad dreams. They meant nothing. So why did he feel so uneasy when he looked at her in the coat? "It works."

"Can I at least wear my own boots?" Leia asked as she collapsed back on the bed.

"The Scillion boots," Han answered. "They should work with the outfit."

Leia smiled at Han, "So now you're a stylist?" Her remark inspired laughs from Luke and Chewie. Han favored her with a small smirk.

Han turned to his closet to find himself some warmer clothes. He pulled out a thick gray sweater and a hoodless brown coat that wasn't as heavy as the one Leia was wearing. Then he turned to his friends, "The speeder should be here by now. We should get going."

Chewbacca scooped Leia in his arms despite her protests, and they made their way to the ramp. As the ramp was lowered, Han got a peak at the speeder that awaited them. It was a sleek black three-eight-ex model with dark tinted windows. Rainer always had style.

Solo turned to Luke, "We'll contact you when we know her condition."

"What do you mean?" Luke whined. "I want to go with you."

"Well, you can't." Han stated as a matter-of-fact, which, to Han, was a matter of fact. "Stay here and keep an eye out on the _Falcon_. I've got enemies around here."

"Where do you not?" Luke muttered. "May the Force be with you." He called after them just to irritate Han.

"Yeah, yeah," Han waved at him. Chewbacca howled his good-byes.

"Bye, Luke," Leia smiled. With that Luke's three friends climbed into the speeder and disappeared.

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

"Rainer!" Han greeted the driver with a hardy laugh. "Didn't expect a personal escort." He climbed into the front seat while Chewie and Leia climbed into the back.

"Figured you wanted to keep a low profile," Rainer piloted the speeder up the mountain side.

"So this is keeping a low profile," Han leaned back in his seat.

"Ah, my men are expecting me back there anyway," Rainer replied. "So are you going to introduce me to your little friend there?"

Leia was lying sprawled out in the back seat, her head cradled by Chewbacca. He was gently stroking Leia's hair that was now pulled into a loose bun at the nape of her neck. Her eyes were closed, and her breathing was once again labored.

Han glanced back at his friends, "Leia." He said quietly. She opened her eyes, "This is Rainer, an old friend."

Rainer glanced back at her and smiled. The princess returned his smile, "It's a pleasure to meet you."

Rainer nodded, "So where did you pick her up?"

Han gave Rainer a lop-sided grin, "Picked her up in a cantina on Dantooine." Han waited for the wrath of Leia, but it never came. At least she had the sense to go along with it. Or she just wasn't feeling well enough to rip into him.

Rainer's gold eyes scrutinized Han for a moment before returning them to the road, if it could be called a road, "Yeah, she looks like the kind of gal you'd pick up on Dantooine." Han shrugged, and Rainer let the subject drop. "The medical facilities are right up there."

Solo and Chewbacca glanced up at the pristine glass building that jutted out from the slate-colored rock. It seemed as if it were part of the rock itself. Han couldn't help but be impressed, "I hope your medical care is as impressive as your building."

"Even more so," Rainer didn't conceal his pride. "Our diagnostic researcher even more than that. He's a little on the abrasive side, but he knows his stuff."

Han glanced back at the princess, "I hope so."

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

Rainer led Han, Chewbacca, and the princess through the lobby of the medical research center. Leia wore the hood of Han's jacket as low as she could without constricting her sight too much. Chewbacca helped her stay steady on her feet as they followed Han and Rainer. Rainer pulled a uniformed woman aside and spoke into her ear. She nodded and headed the opposite direction.

"Dr. Gre'hos will handle her case," Rainer explained quietly. "I've assigned two of my best droids to the case as well."

"Droids?" Han raised an eyebrow in a very Leia-like fashion.

Rainer clapped Han on the back, "I know your aversion to droids, but trust me. " Your crew member is going to get the best care possible."

"I appreciate that," Han smiled.

"That'll make us even."

Han looked at Chewbacca and the princess, "If you get my crew member better, I'll owe you."

Rainer looked back at Han's friends as well, "Means that much to you?" Han didn't say anything. "You're getting soft on me, Solo." Han just laughed.

"I'm getting soft, too," Rainer confided in Han. "After we get your friend settled, I want you to meet Selina, my wife."

"Wife?" Han questioned.

"Well, as far as my men know, she's my servant," Rainer explained quietly. "But behind closed doors and off this god-forsaken planet, she's my equal." Rainer thought for a moment, "Well, more than my equal. She's a bit bossy, but…" he smiled thinking of his wife, "she's something else."

Rainer opened the glass door that led to a small waiting room. He waited until the door sealed before speaking, "I'm assuming you want to stay with her as much as you can. The couch folds out into a bed." He patted the white piece of furniture. Sorry Chewie, the quarters in here are a little cramped for a Wookie." Chewie waved his hand.

Rainer palmed the door next to the couch, and it slid open, "As you see, top of the line equipment." He let them enter the room, giving them a chance to examine where Leia would be cared for. "Go ahead and settle her in. Then meet me on the fifth floor. Selina is a geneticist. Smart as nails, that one."

Han looked at Rainer, dumbfounded, "How did a woman get that position on this planet?"

"Well, she's not from here," Rainer explained. "She's Dilanian, and has skills that are rare. It also helps that she's not a human female. The men here are more tolerant of that fact. They stay clear of her, and that's the way I like it. And I don't have to worry about any of them….crossing any lines with her. They know I'd have them killed if they even look at her the wrong way."

Han nodded has he took this information in, "Still running your 'business' with an iron fist."

Rainer smiled at him, "Of course. I haven't got that soft." Rainer raised his voice a little to indicate he was speaking to the group, "What do you think?"

Chewbacca shared his opinion, and Han chimed in, "Couldn't ask for more. Thank you."

"Thank you," Leia smiled weakly.

"You're welcome," Rainer turned to leave. "I'll let you settle in. Come up and meet my wife when you're finished."

Chewbacca was already helping the princess out of the coat and boots and into the bed. Her cheeks were flushed, and she seemed relieved to be off her feet. Han went to the sink and filled a cup with cold water. He handed it to Leia. She drank it without a fight and then settled in to the plush bed. "Fit for a princess, huh?" Han winked at her, but her eyes were already closed.

"We'll be back," Han told her despite the fact she didn't respond. "Won't be long."

Chewie growled quietly and stroked her hair before he and Han left. The two friends made their way to the lift that would take them to the fifth floor. Unfortunately, they didn't go unnoticed.


	10. Chapter 10

CHAPTER10:

As Han and Chewbacca made their way to the glass lift that would take them to the fifth floor, a tall man with a bruised face watched them leave and then approached the room from which the pair came.

The princess slowly rolled to her back at the sound of the door sliding open. Her eyes remained closed and she fought to find her failing voice, "Han?" she whispered, her breathing labored.

"Hhelloo. You aren't what I expected."

Leia forced her eyes open, "Who are you?"

Before her stood a man who was at least a head shorter than Chewbacca with arms riddled with menacing tattoos. He wore beads in his dark beard, but his badly beaten head was bald. He laughed, exposing gold pointed teeth, "Ah, Han has no manners." He approached her bed.

Leia slowly slid her hand under the pillow, "I'm sure Han will be here any moment to rectify the situation." She forced a small smile all the while cursing her voice for not cooperating. She sounded weak and felt like easy prey.

"I am Mran Swelen," he point at himself with one hand while spreading out the other in a welcoming manner. Leia had a clear view of the long sharp talons decorated with colorful patterns on the end of each finger. The strange man approached her bed and she moved closer to the wall.

"No need to fear me, my darling," Swelen leaned over the princess. "My, you are a young thing, nothing but a child. Not like Han to….let me take a closer look."

The princess pulled Han's blaster from under the pillow and pointed at Swelen. Her condition made it difficult to keep it steady, and her clumsy action only caused him to laugh. Swelen grabbed her wrist and squeezed hard, causing the blaster to fall out of Leia's hand before she had a chance to shoot it.

"Now, that's not very nice," the man wiggled a finger at her. "Let's get a closer look, shall we darling?" Swelen grabbed the edges of the bedcover and began to pull them away from the princess' body. Leia's feeble grip gave no resistance.

Mran Swelen grabbed the girl's wrists with one hand. His long fingers easily reached around both of Leia's small wrists, and he made a show to let her know that he was in control. He held them down against the pillow over her head. Swelen leaned close and laughed when he looked into her fiery eyes, "You don't look very happy." He wiggled his fingers on his free hand in front of her, the long, decorated nails clicked together.

Swelen slowly dragged his long nails along the faded thermal shirt that Leia was wearing. She flinched in attempt to escape his exploration, but Swelen only smiled wider and continued his mission. He hooked a talon under the edge of her shirt and slowly pulled it up to expose her stomach.

"Step away from her, Swelen!"

Keeping Leia pinned where she was, Swelen swiveled half way around to face the intruder, "Han," his gray, colorless eyes narrowed on Solo. "It's so good to see you again." Chewbacca roared. "And you too Chewbacca."

"I'm sure you're glad to see me," Han's look caused Swelen to cower for a moment, but then the tall man made his presence more menacing. "As I said, step away from her."

Swelen hesitated, but did what he was told. Chewbacca bared his teeth and moved to stand between Leia and her would-be assailant. Han seemed calm and in control, hands on his hips and his emotions unreadable.

"She's mine," he took a step toward the man who towered over him. "And you know I don't like to share."

Leia's eyes' widened for a moment. She looked to Chewbacca and then to Han, but both of their attention remained on Swelen.

But Swelen kept his attention on her, "This child is yours?"

"That's what I said." Han's tone was threatening.

Swelen took a long pull of air through his flared nostrils and turned to face Han, "But she is untouched."

"I'm saving her for a special occasion." Han took a step closer to Swelen and Chewbacca grumbled a quiet warning.

Swelen smiled, making a show of his razor sharp teeth. Han took a side glance and noticed his blaster sitting on the table beside Leia's bed. He also noticed that Leia was slowly scooting her way closer to it. He caught her eyes for a moment and gave her a warning nod she barely caught. A shoot out in the medical center wasn't going to ensure Leia would receive the medical attention she obviously needed. She remained where she was but felt more confident being in reaching distance from the weapon.

"I'll pay you a large sum for her. Perhaps the amount that you owe Jabba?"

Han's stomach turned at the thought. "She's worth a lot more. Definitely more than you could ever afford."

He raised his brow, "The way I see it, you owe me, Solo."

"I won your ship fair and square," Han jutted out his chin. "It's not my fault you're a lousy sabaac player."

"You should've given me a chance to win it back," he argued.

"Whaddya expect me to do?" Han looked around. "Stick around until you found some way to cheat?"

"Watch yourself, Solo," Swelen flashed his razor-sharp teeth once again. He turned his attention back to the princess, "Since when did you get in the habit of keeping children?"

Han smiled, "What can I say? I'm a changed man. Not as nice as I used to be." He tried to take Swelen's attention away from Leia, "Looks like someone worked you over real good." Han rocked on his feet with his hands in his pockets, tongue running over his own teeth.

Swelen's gray eyes surveyed Han, "You should see the other guy."

Han made a show of looking around, "Don't see anyone here but you." Chewbacca chuckled.

Swelen glanced at Chewbacca and then returned his attention to Han, "That's because he didn't survive." Swelen crossed his arms over his chest, exposing a recently stitched gash that disfigured a few of his tattoos.

"You better leave before Chewie and me decide to work you over ourselves," Han stared into Swelen's gray eyes meaningfully. "You'll be the one who won't survive."

Swelen laughed mirthlessly, "I highly doubt that." He took one last lusting look at the princess. "I hope you get better, little one. It'd be a shame if you died."

Chewbacca lunged at Swelen in a threatening manner, causing the larger man to step back. "Watch your back, Solo." Swelen stood full height, towering over Han. "You're time is coming."

"See you around," Swelen winked at Leia and flashed Han a smug smile.

Chewbacca waited until Han moved to stand next to Leia's bed before he escorted Mran Swelen out of the private suite. Han watched until the door to Leia's room closed before he let his anger get the best of him. He balled up into a fist and slammed it into the wall high above Leia's head. She flinched in reaction to his uncharacteristic display of emotion.

"Ow!" Han shook his hand and brought it to his mouth.

"Let me see," Leia tried to sit up, but a fit of coughs and wheezing overcame her.

Han seemed to notice the sick princess for the first time. His expression softened as he noticed the dark circles under her eyes and flushed cheeks. Her large brown eyes that looked up at him were full of concern. Concern for him, and that made him feel guilty and angry and worried all at the same time.

"I'm fine," Han smoothed her hair. "You okay?" She nodded in response, but that didn't comfort him. "I'm so sorry. I should've been here."

"Han, I'm fine," she lied, but he appreciated the smile she honored him with. Han could see the whole fiasco with Swelen had shaken her, but he wasn't going to point that out. He already felt terrible that he let it happen in the first place.

Han reached out and started to pull her shirt over her exposed midsection. But then he stopped. He noticed that her skin was a dark pink. He then pulled up the sleeves of her shirt and exposed the same flush tone on her arms. Han's brow knitted and he sighed.

She pulled herself up on her elbows to examine what Han was fretting over, "What?"

"I don't know," Han answered truthfully, silently hoping the doctor Rainer promised would arrive soon.

Chewbacca returned and leaned close to Han while Leia watched them converse. She couldn't make out anything of their covert conversation. Then Chewbacca leaned over the princess and placed his two hairy paws gently on each side of her face while he cooed softly. Chewbacca stood to his full menacing size, pulled his crossbow over his shoulder, and found a comfortable position on the repulsor chair facing the front door of their suite. Han pulled out his comlink.

"Luke?" Han spoke into the comlink as quiet as he could. "Make sure you keep the Falcon on top security. Put the sensors on high, got that?" he paused and waited for Luke to complete the task. "Good. Watch yourself. There may be problems. Keep me updated if anything goes down." Han looked at the princess, "Yeah, she's fine. Talk to you later."

Slowly Han turned toward the princess whose eyes held confusion. He bit his lip for a moment and approached her bed. "Exciting day, huh?"

She smiled and shrugged. "When is it not when you're around?"

Han flinched and fell into a chair near her bed. He knew she was just making light of the situation, but Han couldn't help but feel terrible because he put her in this position. "Rainer should be sending over his best medic. Supposedly this guy specializes in rare illnesses and poisons."

He looked over at the princess. Her eyes were closed, and she was trembling. Han pulled the covers over her and tucked them around her. Without thinking he stroked her hair over and over. Leia's eyes fluttered open for a moment, and she softly smiled at him. He continued to sit with her, blaster resting on his lap until he heard Chewbacca let someone into the suite.

Han holstered his blaster but kept his hand hovering over it just in case it was needed. Chewbacca escorted a weary looking man who leaned heavily on a cane.

"Open your coat," Han ordered.

"What is this?" the man was indignant. "You want my help or not?"

"I'm just making sure you're here to help and nothing more," Han's explained.

"If you don't trust me now," the man reasoned. "I might as well just leave." And he turned to leave.

"Wait," Han's eyes narrowed, but Chewbacca ushered the crippled man to Leia's bedside. The princess opened her eyes and scrutinized the unkempt man.

"You must be very important…" the man stopped when he caught sight of the princess. Han and Chewbacca exchanged weary glances, but breathed a sigh of relief when the man hobbled over to the princess and took up the seat Han had evacuated. "Yes, very important indeed for Rainer to request my services."

"Rainer owed me a favor," Han explained.

The man looked Han up and down with calculating blue eyes, "It must be a big one."

A shadow of worry crossed Han's countenance, but the doctor turned his attention to the princess. He held her chin in his hand and moved her head slightly to the left and then to the right. With his chin tucked, he peered into Leia's dark eyes.

"I'm Dr. Gre'hos," He introduced himself as he looked over the girl. "And who might you be?"

Han answered for her, "No one of your concern."

Dr. Gre'hos shot Han an irritated look, "Was I talking to you?"

Han opened his mouth to give the doctor a piece of his mind, but Leia cut him off, "I'm no one. I'm his." She whispered and glanced up at Han.

Dr. Gre'hos narrowed his eyes and studied the princess. She met his gaze, her eyes never wavering. The doctor gave a slight nod and dropped his chin once again.

"Okay, No One," he looked up at Han, "Why are you here?"

"Isn't that what you're supposed to figure out?" Han argued.

Dr. Gre'hos pushed a breath out forcefully and rolled his eyes, "It would help if I knew her symptoms."

Han managed to look like he was put in his place. Leia answered the doctor, "I feel achy and a little shaky. It's a little hard to breathe."

"She had a high fever and she's had some loss of coordination," Han added. "She also has a scratch on her left arm."

The doctor gently picked up Leia's left arm and pushed back her sleeve. He carefully undid the bandage that Han had wrapped around the wound and examined it. "You use bacta gel on it?"

"Uh-huh."

The wound itself seemed to have almost healed. The gash was a thin pink line and only a hint of the purple coloring that surrounded it before could be seen. Dr. Gre'hos pushed her sleeve back further and scrutinized the reddish tone of her skin.

"Her other arm and stomach have that same color," Han offered.

Dr. Gre'hos looked over those parts of her body as well. His eyes rapidly roamed and his thin lips were pressed tightly together. He pushed the wheeled chair over to the counter and pulled out a sleek silver scanner from a cabinet. He placed a rounded band onto Leia's head and two bracelet-like devices around her wrists and ankles. Then Dr. Gre'hos pulled a thin rod and a hand-held holoscreen. He slowly dragged the rod over the princess starting from her head and ending at her feet. A green aura surrounded her, but the doctor paid no mind to that. Instead, his attention was completely focused on the holoscreen.

"That is some pretty advanced scanner," Han commented.

"Only the best as Rainer requested."

Han's eyes didn't leave the princess', while Chewbacca intently watched the doctor at work. Dr. Gre'hos ran his teeth over his lips and pulled at the stubble on his chin as he read the read-out on the holoscreen.

Chewbacca roared and Han translated, "What's wrong with her?"

Dr. Gre'hos didn't answer right away. He looked at Leia, knitted his brow, and looked back down at the read-outs on the holoscreen. "It seems she has contracted an unlikely virus. In fact, a case of this virus hasn't been recorded in this system for well over…a hundred years or so." Dr. Gre'hos returned his attention on the princess. "Now how would a no one like you contract such a virus? And where?"

Leia withered slightly under his scrutiny. She tried to put on her most innocent expression and looked to Han for an answer.

Han stepped closer to Leia and towered over the seated doctor, trying to pull the doctor's attention away from her. "Doesn't matter why or where she got it, doctor. All that matters is that she has it, and you're here to cure it."

Dr. Gre'hos leaned back and met Han's confrontational stare. "Cure it? Are you so certain I can cure it?"

Han was taken aback. It never crossed his mind that whatever Leia had couldn't be cured. Han looked at the princess who never broke her gaze on him. Chewbacca placed a hand on Han's shoulder but addressed the doctor.

"What kind of virus does she have?" Han translated.

Dr. Gre'hos took in the Wookie before he answered, "Xafaghila-VHF." He informed Leia's worried friends as he worked to deactivate the scanner. "The nasty little virus causes fever, muscle weakness, fatigue, and hemorrhaging. That redness? She's hemorrhaging internally. The bacta gel you used on the wound caused the virus to go through her system faster. It will attack her brain, and her organs will start to shut down one by one."

Han slumped into himself. He was just trying to help her when he dressed her wound. Dr. Gre'hos watched him for a moment, "Don't blame yourself. How did you know that would happen?" He paused for a moment. "Of course, if you had a better scanner—"

Chewbacca grumbled and huffed. Dr. Gre'hos surveyed the large Wookie. "You look like you might have been around back when the virus ran rampant through the Serack System. Assuming you are telling me that there is a cure," the doctor collected the scanner and put it back into the cabinet, "you're right." Dr. Gre'hos pulled himself up on his cane. "But, as you probably know, that was a hundred years ago, and there's been no need for the antibiotics for Xafaghila-VHF since then." Dr. Gre'hos hobbled toward the door. "Xafaghila-VHF happens to be one of those viruses conquered by great doctors of the past."

Han grabbed the doctor by the shoulder, and the older man turned his piercing blue eyes on him, "Then you know how to make the antibodies."

"I said that great doctors of the past created the antibiotic," Dr. Gre'hos explained. "I'm in the category of great doctors of the present and hopefully the future." Dr. Gre'hos eyes fell to the ground. "Unfortunately, a lot of medical information is no longer available thanks to Emperor Palpatine. In his early days, he killed physicians who aided non-humans and insurgents. Most of those physicians were also leading researchers who specialized in the control of VHF viruses and other deadly illnesses. Guess the Emperor doesn't give the future much thought, at least not from a medical point of view."

Chewbacca pulled Han from the doctor. Han's shoulders slumped again, and he took a few steps toward Leia. He met her eyes for a moment before he had to look away.

"Han," Leia breathed. She reached out to him with a shaky hand. "It's okay…no one else will get it." Han's anger bubbled inside him, but Leia's large, pleading eyes cooled him off. "It's okay." Han let out a long sigh and grabbed her hand. Chewbacca let out a quiet howl and stood next to Han. Leia favored him with a reassuring smile.

Although Dr. Gre'hos was set to hobble out of the room, he couldn't help but stop and look at the princess. Gre'hos' lips pressed together in a thoughtful but grim frown. He stood there a moment as if weighing his options. Then he slowly approached the group. "There may be something."

Both Chewbacca and Han's expressions lit up, "What?"

Dr. Gre'hos took a moment before he continued, "It's risky. No guarantees."

"But she has no options if nothing's done," Han argued.

"Yes," Dr. Gre'hos tucked his chin and leaning heavily on his cane as he returned to the seat next to the princess' beside. The doctor addressed Han and Chewbacca but kept his steely blue eyes focused on the princess the whole time. "Convalescent-synthetic plasma."

Chewbacca explained what that treatment was. "Replacing her blood with synthetic blood? No one has survived on synthetic blood alone." Han turned wary eyes upon the doctor, "It'll kill her."

"Yes," Gre'hos turned his eyes upon Han for a moment, "that is why it's risky. She will be in a death-like state for three minutes. Hopefully, that will be long enough to clean the virus out of her system and replace the synthetic plasma with a transfusion of human plasma."

"Hopefully?" Han's voice rose, and Chewie quietly reminded him that the doctor was here to help.

"As I said," he looked up at Han, "no guarantees."

Han looked down at Leia. She smiled up at him, "It's okay." She reassured him. "At least there is some hope."

"Yeah," Han absently nodded despite the fact every nerve in his body screamed otherwise. But they didn't have any other options. "I'll donate blood if you need it," Han called after the doctor.

"I thought you would," Dr. Gre'hos nodded and exited the room.


	11. Chapter 11

CHAPTER 11:

Princess Leia watched with trepidation as the medical droids worked around her. An ominous machine was moved next to her. She tried to push down memories of the interrogation sessions she endured on the Death Star as one of the medical droids pricked her with a needle and hooked up an IV. She took long, slow breaths to control the panic that was creeping up inside her. One of the medical droids, a Two-One-Bee model, began to prepare her for the anesthesia. Dr. Gre'hos limped into the room and dismissed the droids with a nod. He pulled up a chair and sat down so that he was eye level with the princess.

Dr. Gre'hos rested his chin on his cane and stared intently into the princess' eyes. "Rumor has it; you died on the Death Star."

Leia's expression revealed nothing, "Why would I ever be on the Death Star?"

The doctor's eyes crinkled up and his lips stretched into a knowing smile, "Don't worry, Your Highness. I'm good at keeping secrets." He kept his chin on his cane and watched her for a moment. He didn't miss the scared look that briefly crossed her face, though he doubted anyone else would have picked up on it. "You know, that thing about doctor-patient confidentiality."

"That was banished long ago by the Emperor," Leia challenged.

Dr. Gre'hos looked up at the ceiling, "Never cared much for Emperor Palpatine." Then he looked deep into Leia's brown eyes. "I hope you're carrying on your father's legacy."

Leia held his gaze but said nothing. Dr. Gre'hos continued, "He was a good man."

The girl bit her lip, trying to hold back tears, memories, and questions. Again, the doctor let her off the hook, "I did my residency on Alderaan when you were just a wee little thing." He twisted his cane absent-mindedly in his hand. "I had the pleasure of meeting your father when he visited the UA hospital. It was a goodwill tour," Gre'hos explained, "but we all knew that he was really there to secure supplies for insurgents. Your father took risks." He studied the princess for a moment, "Looks like you do as well."

A moment of silence passed between them. He looked away from Leia for a moment and then turned his inquiring eyes back on her, "So, if you don't mind me asking, how did manage to get off the Death Star?"

The princess stared into his steely blue eyes and said nothing. Just as Gre'hos was going to drop the subject, she answered him, "Han and Chewie…" but she couldn't finish.

Dr. Gre'hos blinked a couple of times and his mouth made an O-shape without opening. "Explains Solo's involvement in…your cause." He read Leia's confusion on her face, "Solo's not much of a joiner."

"I know," Leia replied even though she wasn't sure how to take his statement pertaining to Han's involvement in "her cause".

"Solo's blood type doesn't match yours," he told the princess. "Can't use it. As it turns out your blood type is very rare. We don't have it here."

Leia nodded. So then there was nothing to be done. She took in a deep breath, ready to accept her fate. The mission was a success; that was all that mattered. She looked around the room and waited for the doctor to unhook her from the machine. His eyes followed hers as they roamed the room, but he didn't move from his seat. "It turns out that your other friend…Skywalker? He's a perfect match."

Leia perked up at the mention of her friend, "Luke's here?"

"Arrived not too long ago," Dr. Gre'hos informed her. "He would've come in to see you, but he's a bit under the weather after the donation."

She nodded. Suddenly she was having trouble keeping her eyes open.

"I'm sorry about Alderaan, and I'm sorry about your father," Dr. Gre'hos tucked his chin and his blue eyes seemed to turn inward onto his own musings. He then flashed her a smile, "Time to make you better."

The princess' eyes tried to follow the limping doctor leave the room but sleep finally overcame her.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Han Solo held the bleeding princess in his arms while he quietly begged her to be okay. Her blood stained the snow and ice around them, and the warmth of the blood melted it. He tried to pull her close to him with one arm, while his other hand tried to hold back the blood that seeped out of her chest. There was so much blood that it seemed impossible that it all came from someone so small. Without warning, Leia began to slip deeper into the snow. He tried to pull her on top of his lap, but to no avail. She continued to slip deeper and deeper into the melting snow.

"Leia!"

Han sat up with a start, and his eyes fought to focus in the dark of the room. Luke rolled off the couch on which he was sleeping and landed on the floor with a loud thud. Chewbacca stirred from his not-so-light slumber and questioned Han about his outburst.

"Huh?" Han ran a hand slowly over his face, "I don't know. No one's told us anything."

"How long has it been?" Luke asked. His sense of time was lost after he donated his blood.

"Too long," Han mumbled. Chewbacca had his input, but it didn't take away Han's impending sense of doom, "Yeah, I know these things take time, but the longer we stay the better chance we'll be noticed by bounty hunters." But Chewbacca knew that wasn't the reason Han was on edge.

A knock on the door startled all of them. The door slid open despite the fact no one answered it, and Dr. Gre'hos, leaning heavy on his cane and looking crumpled and worn, limped in and took the nearest chair. All eyes were on him. He took a dramatic pause before he addressed them, "Everything went well. We think we eradicated the virus—"

"You think?" Han asked angrily.

Luke put a hand on his fired-up friend, "Han, she'll be okay."

Dr. Gre'hos' brow scrunched together and his steely blue eyes narrowed on the boy, "He's right. She's going to be fine."

Luke smiled, "Can we see her?"

"She's groggy, but I think it should be fine," Dr. Gre'hos stood up and started for the door, but then he stopped. His eyes met Han's, "Take care of her." With that, he left.

Luke and Chewbacca hurried to the princess' room, leaving Han to his thoughts. He felt light-headed and unsteady on his feet. She was going to be fine. He ran a hand through his hair and then over his face. _She's going to be fine. _His hand stayed hovering over his mouth, trying to come to terms with the good news. So bad dreams were just that, bad dreams. He silently admonished himself for letting himself get all worked up over a dream. He shook his head and entered the room.

But when Han first saw Leia lying in the bed with her eyes half open, his heart sunk. She was pale and listless, and she looked as if she was barely aware of her visitors. Han hung back at the doorway, observing Chewbacca and Luke who seemed oblivious to her level of consciousness. Chewbacca spoke to her as if she could understand him, and Luke's countenance was beaming with joy, his fingers entangled with hers. Han shoved his own hands in his pockets. It was Luke's blood that Dr. Gre'hos used to cure her, not his. All he did was bring her here to Ord Mantell, exposing her to danger because he had made enemies, enemies that held long grudges. He looked down at the ground and away from his friends. He had made too many enemies in his lifetime. A longing sadness swept through him, and he wished he had done things different. But he never thought he'd have people like Luke and Leia in his life. And he almost lost Leia.

"Han!" Luke called again, rousing Han out of his musings. "Leia's asking for you."

Han slowly walked over to her bedside, masking his troubled emotions with a lop-sided grin, "It's about time you're awake." Luke stepped away to allow Han to move closer to the princess. She searched for his hand, and when she found it, she entwined her slender fingers with his in the same manner she did Luke. This little gesture put Han at ease.

"Thank you," she whispered.

Han looked away, "It's Luke you should be thanking."

Leia opened her eyes completely, and his attention was pulled back on her, "Han…thank you."

He nodded, feeling guilty about her gratitude. He felt it was undeserved. He wasn't sure when it happened, but he felt that it was his duty to protect her from bad things. Maybe this sense of purpose began the first moment they met on the Death Star. He wasn't sure. All he knew at the moment was that he failed. He resolved that that would never happen again, never mind the fact that they were in a middle of a war, and keeping her from harm would be nearly impossible. He was Han Solo, a man who defied the odds.

A medical droid rolled in and informed them that the princess needed to rest. Luke and Chewbacca bid there good-byes and headed out the room. Han couldn't help but linger a little longer.

"Don't leave me…" she whispered.

He stared deep into her large brown eyes and something pulled at his heart. He smiled at her, a smile that lacked his characteristic mocking, "Never." He leaned over and placed a kiss on her forehead. He stood up and looked at her. Her eyes were now closed and a peaceful smile graced her lips. He raised her hand to his lips and gently kissed it before he placed it upon her stomach. Then the medical droid ushered him out of the room.

Solo joined his friends in the waiting room, surprised to see that Rainer was present and having a quiet conversation with Chewbacca.

"Rainer," Han called. "I couldn't thank you more."

"My pleasure," Rainer nodded, but he didn't smile.

Han looked to Chewbacca and then back to Rainer, "What's going on?"

Rainer glanced at Luke who gazed upon the older man with confusion. He looked back at Solo and figured it was okay to talk in front of the boy, "Swelen isn't too happy about your presence here."

"Tell me something I don't know," Han eyes searched the ceiling.

"Yeah, well, I guess he's contacted a bounty hunter and tipped him off to your where-abouts," Rainer warned. "I'm not sure who it is, but it's in your best interest to leave as soon as possible." A guilty looked crossed his face. "I can't get involved in this, you know. A debt is a debt."

"Yeah," Han replied. "Thanks for the warning."

"It's the most I could do." Rainer placed a hand on Han's shoulder and lowered his voice, "One more thing. The girl isn't up for traveling. You're welcome to stay as long as you need to, but maybe you should send the boy back to the _Falcon._ Let me know if you need anything." Rainer bid his good-byes and left the room.

Solo didn't think of that. Chewbacca grumbled and looked at Luke. The last thing Han wanted was to get Luke hurt or killed by a bounty hunter. It was dangerous for him to stay here, but Han wasn't going to leave Leia.

"You and Luke should head back to the _Falcon_," Han decided.

"But I don't want to leave Leia," Luke whined.

Han rolled his eyes, and Chewbacca tried to explain Han's reasoning to Luke without much headway. Han planted his hands on his hips, "Bounty hunters aren't people to mess around with." But Luke wasn't' deterred. "Look, the safest place on Ord Mantell right now is on the _Falcon_."

"I'm good in a fight," Luke argued. "You could use me."

"If I run into a bounty hunter, I don't want to have to worry about you and the princess getting in the middle of it." What he and Chewbacca were really thinking was that they didn't want to take the chance that Luke or the princess would be used as leverage. "Just trust me on this, Luke."

Luke was taken aback by the defeated tone in Han's voice. He hesitated. He didn't want to leave Leia, but Luke trusted Han to keep Leia safe. Luke trusted Han and Chewbacca with his own life. "Okay," he concurred.

Han let out a sigh of relief, and Chewbacca patted Luke on the back, "Go say good-bye to Leia and head out." Han ordered. "Chewie, talk to Rainer about transportation. As soon as it's safe for Leia to travel, I'll let you know." Han watched his friends exit the room, "I just hope it's not long," he mumbled to himself. The longer they stayed, the longer he put them all in danger.


	12. Chapter 12

CHAPTER 12:

Princess Leia's eyes opened lazily to a dimly lit room. She glanced around the sterile white room as if she was seeing it for the first time. Her eyes stopped on the sleeping figure whose head was propped against the armrest of an uncomfortable-looking chair. A blaster rested upon his lap.

"Han," she called out in a hoarse whisper. She took in a cleansing breath and tried her voice again, "Han."

Han sat up and whipped the blaster up in a ready position. This incited an uncharacteristic giggle from the princess. Han blinked a few times as he oriented himself to his surroundings. He looked over at the princess, "You're awake."

Leia nodded her head. She tried to raise herself up to a seated position, but her muscles felt stiff and unused.

Han holstered his blaster and jumped up, "Take it easy, Sweetheart."

The princess slowly blinked her eyes and sighed, "I'm fine. Why won't anyone believe me?"

"Because you're not," he argued. He arranged a few pillows behind her to give her support. Leia rolled her eyes dramatically, and Han snorted, "You are the most stubborn person I ever met."

She raised an eyebrow and lowered her chin, "_You_ are calling me stubborn? You're the most hard-headed, irrational man _I_ have ever met. My stubbornness pales in comparison to your worf-headedness."

Both of Han's eyebrows rose in unison briefly, and his lips pressed together, completely taken off guard by her outburst. He favored her with a smug smile, "I forgot to tell the doctor to fix your mouth while he was fixing the rest of you."

The princess sank into the pillows, suddenly feeling tired after her little tirade. Maybe she wasn't as fine as she wanted Han to think. She closed her eyes, "Very funny."

Solo felt a pain of guilt but quickly dismissed it. If the princess was starting fights with him, it was a good sign. He placed a hand on her forehead, and she did her best to bat it away, "Are you going to start that again?"

Now she was pushing his buttons, "You've had a fever for the past couple of days."

"Days?"

"Uh-uh," Han answered. "You've been in and out of consciousness." He watched her for a moment. She had taken a turn for the worse after Luke and Chewbacca left. Since then the other times she had awakened were only for short periods of time, and most of the time if she said anything, she muttered incoherent words. At least she was making sense now.

The princess stared at him incredulously. She bit her lip, "Where's Luke?"

"He and Chewie went back to the _Falcon_." He rose from his seat before he had to do anymore explaining, "I should get the doctor."

"Wait!" Leia called. She tried to get up but found that she had no strength. Frustrated, she had no choice but to wait for Han to come back.

She didn't have to wait long. He returned with Dr. Gre'hos to find Leia's eyes closed. "Leia?" He was relieved when her eyes opened immediately.

Dr. Gre'hos shined a light into her eyes, "Welcome back to the land of the living, Your Highness."

"You told him who you are?" Han angrily asked.

"No," the doctor answered for her as he tested her strength in her hands and arms. "I recognized her." He frowned and then examined the almost-healed wound on her arm. He waved a hand-held scanner over her body.

"How?"

Leia tilted her head to the left, "You know, I wasn't a hermit before I met you. I did have a life." Her eyes went far away, and Han knew she was remembering what her life used to be. Again, he was stabbed with a pang of guilt as if he were the one who wiped out her world.

Dr. Gre'hos straightened up from his examination of the princess, "She's doing better, but she's still not strong enough to travel." He leaned against his cane, "I'm sorry."

Leia watched Han's reaction to the news he had just received. His shoulders slumped and he ran a through his hair. She narrowed her dark eyes on him, "Why did Chewie and Luke leave?"

Dr. Gre'hos tucked his chin, "That's my cue to leave." He started to hobble out of the room.

"Han…"

Rainer entered the room, preventing Dr. Gre'hos' escape from the impending fight he was certain would erupt at any moment. Rainer gave Han a short nod and then addressed the doctor, "How is she?"

"Still not strong enough to travel," he reported.

Rainer gave Han a meaningful look, "You should leave here. I'll make sure she's safe."

The doctor piped up, "I'll make sure she gets to where she needs to be." Rainer's mouth opened and closed. He didn't understand why his callous doctor was taking an interested in the girl.

Leia acquired her regal tone, "Someone better tell me what's going on."

Rainer seemed to notice the princess for the first time since he entered the room, "Demanding little thing, isn't she?"

"You don't even know," Han replied without thought. "I'm not leaving without her."

"Please tell me what's going on," she didn't bother to hide her exasperation.

Rainer looked Leia directly in her eyes, "There's a bounty hunter looking for Han." Suddenly the comm. on his belt beeped. Rainer glanced at it, "I'll be back." He briskly left the room, leaving Han to deal with the girl.

Han's gaze stayed on the floor. Leia pinched the bridge of her nose as if she had a headache, "Han, you need to leave." She quietly ordered. "I'll be fine."

His anger boiled over, and the poor doctor was caught in the cross-fire, "I am NOT going to leave without you!"

"Now who's being stubborn?" she yelled as loud as she could, which really wasn't as loud as she would have liked to be.

"From where I'm standing—"

"Obviously," Dr. Gre'hos cut in, using his cane to usher Han to the side, "you both are tied in the category of stubbornness. I'll be on my way."

"Doctor, wait!" Leia called.

"I refuse to be the referee here. I have things to do." He turned to Han, "Don't make her worse than she is."

That quieted the fight in Han. He stepped completely out of the doctor's way, but Leia called the Dr. Gre'hos back. He slowly turned around and gave her an impatient look, "Really, I have things to do."

The princess regained her composure and slipped into her politician persona, "I am terribly sorry that we have detained you, but please, you might be able to help."

Dr. Gre'hos shook his head, "I don't think—"

"Doctor, please," Leia interrupted, and her definitive tone grabbed the doctor's attention.

"Rainer's right," Dr. Gre'hos glanced sideways at Han. "She is demanding."

The princess ignored his comment and turned her brown eyes on Han, "You need to leave here."

"I told you I'm not leaving without you."

Leia favored him with a senator-like smile, "I understand that." She looked over at the doctor, "On the Death Star, I was given a drug that…revived me when I was too weak to endure any more…"

"You're not asking me to—"

The princess nodded. "Please," she pleaded but still managed to sound regal. "We need to leave. My friends are in danger, and I need to get back to the rebel base."

Dr. Gre'hos surveyed the girl. He could see that he was on the losing side of the battle. He tucked his chin and deliberated over his choices. She was a fighter; she definitely had her father's spirit. However, the drug the Imperials used to revive prisoners during interrogation sessions wasn't safe. A slight tilt of her head and her headstrong glare made it clear that she wasn't going to take no for an answer. "I'll go prepare it."

"No!" Han called after the doctor who hurried out of the room. He turned to the princess, "Leia, you're not going to do this."

She closed her eyes and sighed. The argument was obviously taking a toll on her. "You are not going to stop me," she whispered.

Han remained silent. He paced in a tight circle. He walked over to her bedside and grabbed her hands, "We can stay…"

"No, we can't," she peered up into his eyes, and he knew she had won. She wore a small smile, indicating that she was aware that she had won as well. "Go make arrangements to leave with Rainer. I don't want you here when Dr. Gre'hos administers the drug to me."

She quieted his protests by entwining her fingers with his. He looked down at their fingers and bit his lip. Reluctantly, he disengaged himself from her and turned to leave.

"Han," he stopped in his tracks and turned to face the girl. She smiled at him, "Come here." He returned to her bedside. "No here," she opened her arms up to him. He buried himself in her embrace, her long hair tickling his nose. She pulled away slightly and placed a kiss on his cheek. "Ask Rainer for a blaster for me," her breath was warm against Han's ear, and he had trouble concentrating on her words. "I don't want to be unarmed this time." He moved to look her in the eyes. She held his head between her hands and smiled mischievously.

Han's breath caught in his throat, but he managed to recover and reflect her smile, "A girl after my own heart."


	13. Chapter 13

CHAPTER 13:

Han Solo palmed the door to Leia's room, and it slid open on command. He walked in just in time to see Leia standing in the middle of the room dressed in Luke's clothes and pulling on his heavy brown coat. Dr. Gre'hos was nowhere in sight. When she noticed him, she flashed him a closed-mouth smile and returned her attention to zipping up his coat. Her fingers trembled slightly, but she managed to fasten the zipper on her own. A wave of relief washed over him. Save for the slight tremble, she looked….normal.

"You're looking good," He smiled as his eyes roamed up and down body. Seeing her in his coat, well, he found it odd that he liked it. He let out a quiet sigh of relief. He was no longer haunted with the ominous dreams he had about her. Bad dreams were just that: bad dreams. She was fine. He felt foolish for being so easily spooked and upset when Luke suggested she use the coat in the first place. In his opinion, she looked quite good in it.

The princess gave him a funny look as she approached him. Her hands held the edges of the fur-lined hood, "Are we ready to go?" Her voice was strong and reassuring, but then Han got a good look at her eyes.

Leia's large brown eyes with which she stared up at him were glassy, and he was reminded that looks can be deceiving. He glanced away, feeling guilty about what she had done for him. It must have been hard to willingly go through something that she had to endure during her interrogation sessions aboard the Death Star. He hoped that Dr. Gre'hos made it as painless as possible, but he knew she had reasons why she didn't want him present when the doctor administered the drug.

Once she pulled the hood in place, the princess held out her hand expectantly, "Well?"

"Huh?"

"The blaster?" She shifted her weight onto her left hip impatiently. "Rainer gave you one, right?"

"Oh, yeah," Han reached into his pocket and pulled out a sleek, gray blaster.

"Isn't it a little small?" the princess asked as she examined it closer.

Han opened his mouth but quickly pulled it shut. Now wasn't the time to start something. But then he couldn't hold himself back, "You can use mine," he leered at her. "It's a lot bigger." She responded with a roll her eyes, just what Han was going for. _Score!_ Han smiled.

She returned his smile, "No thanks. This one will do just fine."

"Don't say I didn't offer," he held his hands out.

"Come on, flyboy." Shoving the blaster into the large right pocket on the coat, Leia took off toward the door, and Han quick-stepped to catch up with her.

When he caught up, he was relieved to see that Leia was constantly conscious of making sure the hood of the coat concealed most of her face. The pair briskly made their way to the exit of the medical facility in silence. Their pace was hurried, but they managed to keep it at an inconspicuous rate. Han glanced side to side without moving his head to make sure no one was taking any special interest in them and to make sure Leia was alright. He didn't have to worry about her. Her usual gate was altered so that she looked more masculine, and her steps were casual but determined. Her mannerisms reminded him of the cocky swagger of the Rogue Squad pilots. Nevertheless, she camouflaged herself quite well in this situation. As for himself, he partially hid his face behind the upturned collar of the brown jacket he was wearing, but despite the fact they seemed to blend in, Han wouldn't feel confident until they reached the speeder Rainer had lent him.

The princess reached the exit before him and triggered the sensor. The doors slid open, allowing Han and Leia out and a few ill-looking beings in. Han directed Leia to the right with a nod. She quickly caught it and headed for a modest-appearing speeder parked next to fancier models. The speeder Rainer lent them was an older model, lacking the lavishness of the black speeder he had transported them in a several days before. Leia approached the passenger side of the dull blue speeder and waited for Han to deactivate the security locks before opening the door and climbing in. Han took one more glance around to make sure they hadn't attracted any unwanted attention before he climbed into the driver's seat. He then turned his own attention on the princess.

She scrunched up her nose, "This is only in slightly better shape than the _Falcon_."

Han's mouth fell open in exasperation, and his eyes rolled up to the ceiling, "How can you say that? The_ Falcon_ is the fas—"

"Yeah, yeah," Leia's snorted, "the fastest ship in the galaxy." She turned her attention to the windows. "Such delusions of grandeur, "she muttered under her breath.

"What?"

"At least the windows are tinted," Leia ran a finger along the closest window, a smirk planted proudly on her face.

Han huffed loudly, "There's just no pleasing you."

"Let's just go." Leia sounded annoyed, but she was, indeed, secretly pleased.

They endured the bumpy ride in silence. It was late afternoon, and a light dusting of snow made the mountain road icy, causing the traction of the speeder to waver now and then. Han fiddled with the internal temperature controls, and the princess unzipped the coat and pushed back the hood. Han noticed that despite the seat restraints, Leia's back was straight as a board and her eyes rapidly roamed over the scenery. Her hands were hidden inside the sleeves of the over-sized coat, and her toes drummed a muted cadence on the dusty floor of the speeder. He knew her hyper vigilance had nothing to do with nerves. He wondered how much longer the drug would keep her going and what was going to happen to her when she crashed. He wanted to ask her if she was okay, but he knew she would only tell him that she was fine.

"The snowfall is beautiful," she pointed out. "It's been a long time since I've seen it snow," She activated the window and reached out. But then she quickly retracted her hand and rolled up the window, her edginess overcoming her. "Snow makes things look so clean," The girl pulled her hand back into the sleeve of the coat.

Han scraped his lower lip with his teeth. "You didn't have to do this," his voice was barely audible.

"What?" Leia turned her glassy eyes upon Han.

Looking into her eyes only made him feel worse, "You know, this."

Leia pressed her lips together, "Yes, I did."

"No—"

She halted his protests by pressing a finger gently on his lips, "Han," she tucked her chin, her glassy eyes fierce with determination and something else… "Yes, I did." She whispered and gazed into his hazel eyes until she felt he'd let the subject go.

Han finally turned his eyes back to the road. He wanted to ask her, "why", why she did it. Why did she put herself through something so horrible, so physically and psychologically painful, for him? He knew reliving the trauma she experienced in the Death Star was the last thing she ever wanted to do. He guessed the confinement in a small cell was the reason she never closed the door to the cabin she used on the _Falcon_ when she traveled with him. He knew she was haunted with nightmares that caused her chronic insomnia, and he knew those sleeping pills did nothing to keep the bad dreams at bay when she did manage to fall asleep. So why would she put herself through all that again? And why did she do it for him?

"Han!"

Leia's frantic call pulled Han out of his musings and into the present a half a second too late. The remains of a fallen tree lied across the road. Han swerved in an attempt to avoid it, but his efforts only sent them into a forest of trees, and he couldn't avoid them all. The speeder slammed into a fledging tree and rolled four times until it landed upside down. The inertia of the crash slammed Han against the controls and knocked him into oblivion.

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"Han!"

He was reluctant to open his eyes, but Leia relentlessly called his name and tapped his cheek, so he didn't have a choice. He groaned as he tried to focus on the worried face that hovered over him.

"Han?"

He sat up. Every muscle in his body ached, but if he was able to sit up the damage wasn't too bad, "What happened?"

"Your brilliant piloting rolled the speeder," she sat back on her heels.

"You okay?" He reached out to grab her arm to get a better look at her, and a piercing pain shot through his left shoulder. A stifled yelp of pain unwillingly escaped his lips, and he rubbed his sore shoulder with his other hand.

"I'm doing a lot better than you," Leia scooted closer to him. She pulled open his coat and ran her hand across his shoulder over his gray sweater. "No broken bones." She assessed. "I don't see any blood."

"I think I just pulled a muscle or something," he reassured her.

"Huhm," The princess looked back to the wrecked speeder and then to Han. "Sorry."

Han rubbed the back of his head, "Sorry? I'm the one who crashed the speeder."

"Yeah, that _was_ definitely your fault," she concurred. Her nose wrinkled up, "I think I might have been the one who caused the pain in your shoulder."

"You?" Han couldn't believe that she was blaming herself for his condition when they both agreed that the accident was clearly his fault. "Why do you think you hurt me?"

"Well, I pulled you out of the wreck with that arm," she confessed.

Han's eyes widened, "_You_ pulled _me_ out?" He looked over her shoulder at the crumpled speeder and saw drag marks in the snow that led to him.

She nodded and then leaned even closer to his face, peering into his eyes, "How's your head?"

"Fine. Why?"

"You kind of dropped on your head when I released your safety restraint," She innocently shrugged.

Han's mouth dropped open, and he was rendered speechless. She was such a small thing. How did she manage getting him out of the wreck? He blinked his eyes a few times to regain his bearings.

"Han!" she placed a hand on top of his head.

He pulled her hand away, "I'm fine."

The princess grunted, "Lord! Why do you have to worry me like that?" She threw her hands up in frustration and began to hyperventilate.

"Me, worry you?" he grabbed her arms, ignoring the pain it caused him. "Leia.." she tried to pull away from him. He placed his hands on both sides of her head in an attempt to maker her look at him, "Leia!"

Her eyes shifted around until she could no longer avoid making eye contact with him. Her large brown eyes were watery and wide. He can't recall ever seeing her so emotionally out of control, and it scared him, "Slow down, Your Worship."

His teasing nickname forced her to focus on him, and her breathing slowed to a little faster than normal. Leia slowly pulled herself out of his grip and pushed a disobedient lock of hair behind her ear.

Han pulled himself up to his knees as she retreated from him, "Are you hurt?"

The princess shook her head, "Not at all. I feel fine." Han opened his mouth, a retort about her assessment of herself dangled at the tip of his tongue. But she didn't give him a chance to say anything, "Really. I'm not hurt." She gracefully rolled up from her knees into a standing position, arms held out wide, "See? Perfectly fine."

"Perfectly drugged," Han muttered as he painfully pulled himself to his feet. He reached out and pushed another errant strand out of her face, "You have a scratch on your cheek." He lifted her chin to get a better look. It was just an abrasion.

She sighed heavily, "Does it matter?" she pulled out of his grip, and he knew she wasn't referring to her minute wound.

Han dropped his hand, turned his eyes to the ground, and took a step away from her. "No," he lied.

"Han, were both alive and not seriously hurt. Can't that be good enough for now?" He didn't say anything. Leia closed the distance between them and she lowered her voice, "I don't think our accident was completely an accident."

"Why do you think that?" Han inconspicuously glanced around just in case someone was watching them.

Leia shook her head, "I don't know. Just a feeling I have."

Solo studied the princess for a moment and frowned. He scratched the back of his head absentmindedly, "Okay." He glanced at the speeder again. It didn't look as if it was salvageable. "We might have a problem."

"When do we not?" the princess quipped.

Han ignored her as his mind churned. "Whoever caused our little accident probably expects us to head directly back to the _Falcon,_" he pondered.

"That would make sense," Leia agreed. "The sun's going down."

Solo glanced at the sunset but couldn't appreciate its beauty, "Any ideas?"

The girl pondered their options, "I thought I saw a small town or outpost northeast of here. We could head that way and hope for the best."

Wandering around a forest when the sun was setting wasn't the most appetizing idea, "We could head back to the medical facility. At least we're certain it's there."

"They would expect that as well. We don't know how many…" she didn't want to use the word 'bounty hunters', "pursuers we have," she pointed out.

"If any."

"Right. But I don't think I'm wrong about my feeling," she countered matter-of-factly. "Besides, I don't think we'd make it before nightfall. The town I saw didn't look too far away."

"Guess that settles it," Han placed his hands on his hips and gave the princess a dubious look. "I hope your sense of direction is accurate."

"Accurate enough," Leia smiled at him. "I've gotten myself lost in a few forests on Alderaan. I always managed to find my way home."

"I thought princesses had bodyguards at all times keeping an eye on them so they don't get themselves into trouble," Han teased.

Leia started making her way through the low branches and stray tangles of brush, "I did." She glanced back at Han with the same mischievous smile she had flashed him earlier that day, "What do you think I was doing in the forests in the first place?"

Leia, a rebellious adolescent? He couldn't help but laugh at the image of a younger Leia running wild through forests in order to escape her bodyguards. She seemed too refined for that. But this was the fiery, quick-witted girl who didn't give a second thought about insulting a Wookie. "Lead on, Your Holiness."

XXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Han Solo grew tired of shoving foliage out of his path. The tangle of branches and low brush slowed him down, and he worried about the amount of sunlight they had left. At least it stopped snowing, and the snow on the ground was less than ankle deep. He watched the princess make her own way through the forests. She moved fast, and he was surprised that he was having a hard time keeping up with her rapid pace. Leia only slowed when the thin twigs of heavier branches caught in her loose braid or when the edges of the unzipped coat caught on the scrub. A few times Han had to assist her with the tedious job of untangling her hair. But all these distractions didn't deter her steady pace. Han longed for a respite from their trek. He was winded, and his body still ached in most places from the crash, but he knew stopping for a short break would be dangerous. At least it wasn't too cold.

"Hear that?" Leia suddenly stopped.

Han's feet shuffled around on the icy snow as he tried to avoid running into her. He slipped and hit the ground with a thud. He grimaced, "A little warning next time, Your Worship."

Leia's eyes remained focused on the path ahead of them while giving him a hand-up, "Sh..."

Solo froze and tried to hear what Leia did. He slowly nodded, "A stream or river."

She smiled at him, "Where there's water…"

"There's a settlement." Han dusted the snow that he collected from the fall off of himself. He looked down at the ground and back at where they had come, "We didn't do a good job of hiding our tracks."

The princess surveyed the footprints they had left in the snow. "Nothing we could've done about that," She concluded. "Let's just hope we beat our pursuers to the town. Maybe then we can comm Chewie and have him pick us up if there's a place to land the _Falcon_."

Han highly doubted that a small settlement in the woods would have a place that was large enough to land the _Falcon_, but he decided not to point that out. When they reached the settlement, they could acquire a speeder or some other transportation. He knew Leia had unlimited funds from the Alliance for this mission because of its importance. And if they couldn't afford to buy a speeder, they could always acquire one by lesser legal means.

It didn't take them long to reach the source of water. Han was relieved to find that it was a small, crystal-clear river that didn't seem too deep. Leia stopped at the edge of it and wiped off the sweat on her brow with the sleeve of the coat. She seemed as winded as Han was. She surveyed the landscape and noted the position of the sun. It hung low in the sky, but there was enough light for them to see where they stepped.

"I'm pretty sure the town I saw was in that direction," She pointed north down the river.

"Let's just hope 'pretty sure' is sure enough," Han countered.

The princess' brown eyes shifted to the left and she paused. "It is," she stated without hesitation. She returned her attention to Han, "We might have a problem."

"When do we not?" Han smirked, throwing her words back at her.

Leia ignored him, "What if the town is on the other side of the river?"

"Let's just cross that bridge when we come to it."

"Funny."

"I think there might be a way to hide the direction we go," Han placed his hands on his hips as he studied the river. "It might throw off any pursuers."

"If they aren't familiar with this area," Leia pointed out.

"Right." But her pessimism didn't hinder him, "How are your feet?"

Leia looked down at her feet, a question mark marring her face, "Fine. Why?"

Han forced out a breath, "I mean are your feet wet from the snow?"

The princess lifted her toes off the ground, "Yeah, a little. But I'm still okay." Her head tilted to the right, "What about yours?"

"Perfectly dry." Han pulled on his chin, "Then your boots aren't water repellent."

Leia understood what he was thinking, "It doesn't matter. The best way to hide our tracks is to walk in the water. It's a good idea, and we should do it."

"I'm not going to risk you getting frostbite."

"It won't matter if our pursuers catch up to us, will it?" She argued.

Han sucked on his lower lip as he thought. He turned his back to her and crouched down, "Climb up on my back."

Leia placed her fists on her hips and shifted her weight to the left, "You're not going to carry me."

"Just climb on!"

"I thought you said I was heavier than I looked?" She pursed her lips.

"You are," Han agreed. "But you're still pretty light."

"So you are conceding that _you_ broke the holoscreen," Leia raised an eyebrow, "not me?"

"No, I'm not saying—" Han stopped in mid-sentence, his patience quickly seeping away, "Will you just climb on?"

"What about your shoulder?"

"Just get on!"

The princess sighed, "Fine."

"I really wish you'd stop using that word," Han said.

"_Fine_," she emphasized the word just to irk him. She wrapped her arms around his neck, careful not to choke him. Her legs found their way around his waist.

Once the princess was secure on his back, Han pulled himself up to his full height. Despite the fact she was, indeed, quite light, his body still ached from the beating he took in the crash. He did his best not to let her know that he was experiencing any pain. The last thing he wanted was to refresh their argument. Han kept his steps fairly close to the edge of the river. The water was a few centimeters above his ankle, but his boots kept his feet dry just that he thought they would. He was glad he wasn't wrong about that.

"So what did you do for Rainter?" Leia was warm against his back, and her breath tantalizingly tickled his ear and thawed his neck.

"Huh?"

"You said that he owed you a big favor," Leia stated. "What did you do for him?"

"Let's just say that I helped him obtain his…position here."

Leia puller herself to the side and tilted her head so that she could look at him, "How did you do that?"

Han turned his face towards her and found it only centimeters away from hers. His hazel eyes were fell to her lips. The heat between them was almost unbearable, and from the flush of her cheeks, he knew she felt it, too. She tightly clung to him, and he could swear that he could feel the rapid beating of her heart. Or was that his? It was hard to tell because he felt light-headed. He hadn't even realized that he had stopped walking. His whole being was absorbing every minute detail of this girl. His eyes were drawn to hers, and he was mesmerized by the fiery passion he saw there. Or was she just reflecting his emotions? Han caught his breath and began to close the distance between them. She didn't pull her face away. He took that as a good sign.

"Stop where you are!"

>Please be patient. Some things can't be rushed. )


	14. Chapter 14

CHAPTER 14:

"Stop where you are!"

Princess Leia gasped. Han went for his blaster, but his hands were wrapped around Leia's legs.

"Don't even think of it!"

Han slowly raised his hands, and the princess cautiously slid down his back until her feet touched the ground. She pulled the hood over her head. Han sidestepped so that he stood between their assailant and Leia. Before him stood a lanky being brandishing an ominous-looking blaster pointed directly at Han's chest.

"Let me guess," Han smirked. "Bounty hunter."

The bounty hunter sneered at Solo, "You can call me, Vre'coploi."

"Vre—what?" Han narrowed his eyes, "Never heard of you."

Vre'coploi's lipless mouth stretched into a tight open-mouthed smile and let out an ear-piercing guttural laugh, exposing his carnivorous teeth. "Doesn't matter," his black oblong eyes blinked a few times, and his turquoise skin darkened to a cobalt blue in response to his mirth. "After I turn you over to Jabba, my name will be known."

Han looked the bounty hunter up and down. His sandy color hair was cropped close to his scalp, exposing the tribal tattoos that decorated his head. The lobes of his pointed-ears sagged with the weight of several jewel-encrusted rings. Despite the cold weather, he was clad in a mesh green tank top and kaki utility pants. Vre'coploi wore sturdy combat boots that, Han guessed, housed more than just his feet. Han figured a stream-lined blaster and a knife or two were hidden in the over-sized boots. But Han was more interested in the utility belt that hung heavy on the bounty hunter's waist. Two of the three pouches on the belt looked large enough for a thermal detonator, but this bounty hunter didn't look seasoned enough to carry such a dangerous weapon. Most likely, he had a few explosives that were on the cheap side. The third pouch probably held rations and other supplies that would help sustain him when following a bounty. A slender sheath housed a knife the size of Leia's forearm, and two holstered blasters the same model of Han's were strapped to each thigh. Han guessed that the large blaster that was currently pointed at him came from a holster strapped to Vre'coploi's back.

Solo concluded that this bounty hunter was wet behind the ears. Han had only seen such an obscene display of arsenals on inexperienced bounty hunters. The more professional professionals like, Boba Fett, didn't display their best weapons. Surprise was usually the best weapon a bounty hunter had. Although Vre'coploi caught Han off-guard, he had no surprises left. But all this knowledge didn't comfort Han. Inexperienced bounty hunters had a tendency of making mistakes, mistakes that weren't always good for the guy on the other end of the bounty. These bounty hunters had itchy trigger fingers, and their adrenaline usually got the best of them. Han knew that Jabba wanted him alive, so Vre'coploi would probably err on the side of caution when it came to him. However, He wasn't so sure how Vre'coploi would deal with Leia. Maybe if he could get this bounty hunter talking, he would think of a way to get out of this situation alive.

"Jabba," Han nodded as if he had some secret. "How is he doing?"

"He's pretty angry with you, upped the bounty," Vre'coploi ran his forked tongue over his teeth. "Now, if you please, throw your weapons toward me. You, too." He glanced at Leia. "If you both cooperate, no one will get hurt."

Han grudgingly tossed his blaster to Vre'coploi, "Upped the bounty, huh?" He addressed Leia. "Guess I'm getting more popular," he chuckled.

But the princess didn't find it too funny. She slowly reached into her pocket and pulled out the blaster. This partially hidden movement startled Vre'coploi, and cobalt skin faded back into turquoise as he swung the blaster so it was aimed at her.

"Take it easy, Vre'coploi," Han tried to mask his panic but failed. "We're complying so there's no need to get violent."

"Don't worry, Solo," the bounty hunter turned the muzzle of the blaster back on him. "I'm only interested in you. Your friend will be allowed to leave unharmed, provided there is no funny business," his dark eyes shifted to Leia meaningfully.

This did not bring any comfort to Han in the least. What kind of bounty hunter would leave any survivors from a bounty that might potentially seek revenge? "Why should I trust you, Vre'coploi?"

"Because he is Eriguois," the princess moved so she was no longer protected by Han. "Am I right?"

"Leia…" Han's tone was low with an edge of anger. "Get back!"

Vre'coploi kept the blaster aimed at Han, but he side-glanced at Leia, "Yeah…What do you know about the Eriguois?"

The princess slowly positioned herself so that she was partially in front of Han, making a clear shot of Han impossible. And she hoped her position would keep Han from doing something stupid.

"I know that the Eriguois are honorable people who never break their word when it is given," Now she was completely in front of Han. "I know they are trustworthy, loyal, and respected throughout the galaxy for these traits."

Vre'coploi only responded to her with a low purring sound that resonated from his throat. This sound definitely wasn't a friendly one, but she knew he was thinking about her words.

"The tattoos on your head," she nodded to indicate the intricate patterns that were only slightly muted by his buzzed hair. "You earned them for serving your tribe as a civil peace guard, and you successfully fought off the Anogoise when they attacked your tribe. So I know that you are a formidable bounty hunter who shouldn't be taken lightly."

Vre'coploi ceased making the purring noise. He glanced at Han, but he was still listening to Leia.

So she continued, "The three gold rings in your left ear indicate that you are a descendant of the Enid clan, third generation. Your clansmen are the most revered for their honor and bravery in the Wasil territory. The blue, green, and red jewels in that order mean that you are the youngest Enid."

The bounty hunter's large forehead wrinkled up and his forked tongue flickered, "You are mistaken. Those jewels mean that I am the oldest."

Leia bowed her head slightly, but that mistake did not deter her, "Forgive me for my ignorance. But I am certain the two silver rings in your left ear indicate that you have two wives, and from the amount of Sicsid stones, you have fathered seven offspring." She raised her head, "The Enid elders must be pleased."

"How do you know so much about my people?"

"I have studied the great civilizations of the Xoito system," the princess answered. "The Eriguois are the most respective beings of that system."

Vre'coploi smiled, but his expression didn't have any malice. Leia paused for a moment as if she was building up the courage for the question she was leading up to, "So why is an esteemed Eriguois such as yourself earning your living as a bounty hunter?"

His dark eyes shifted to the ground as if he was shamed, "I have a family to feed and care for. The tribe no longer needs civil peace guards now that the Empire has come to our territory. They have slaughtered the Anogoise and have generously provided security and order for my people. I am trained as a civil peace guard. I have no skills that would serve my people. I must provide for my family."

"So being a bounty hunter is not your chosen profession," Leia concluded, and Vre'coploi nodded in remorse.

Han smiled, amazed that the princess seemed to have placated the bounty hunter. Perhaps they would get out of this without a shot fired.

But then she did something Han thought was utterly stupid. The princess took one step toward the bounty hunter, "I ask you to take me instead of Solo."

"What?" Han yelled. What was she thinking? Didn't she just make Vre'coploi ashamed for being a bounty hunter?

"I do not take part in the trade of females," Vre'coploi's eyes held disdain. "I find that custom grotesque, and I am abhorred that you would suggest I would do something so deplorable."

Leia folded her hands in front of her and bowed her head, "I did not mean to offend you."

Han was relieved to here that, "So you'll let her alone if I go peacefully with you." Maybe he wasn't going to get out of this situation, but he didn't care. All that matter was that Leia would.

"Of course. You have my word."

"You will bring in a bigger bounty if you take me," Leia stated.

Han's eyes widened in disbelief. Vre'coploi was going to let her go. What in the seven hells did she think she was doing? "Leia!"

"How will a female bring me in a bigger bounty?" Vre'coploi scoffed and his tongue flickered again.

"Your people are indebted to the Empire for bringing order and peace," Leia said.

"Again, you are correct." Vre'coploi conceded.

The girl pushed the hood from her head, "I am Princess Leia Organa of the Royal House of Alderaan." She held her chin high, and despite the dirt and frumpy attire, Han never saw her look more royal than at that moment. "The Empire will pay you well for my capture, more than you'll make for collecting the bounty on Solo. Jabba is a petty gangster compared to the honorable Emperor," her last words incited a sour taste in her mouth, but she hid her disgust well.

Han was aghast, "Leia! Stop!" he then turned pleading eyes on Vre'coploi. "You can't take her. You're here to collect a bounty on me, not her. The Emperor won't make name for you as a bounty hunter. Turning me over to Jabba will make you famous. You're honorable, right?"

Vre'coploi purred again but refrained from saying anything.

"But my capture will bring honor to your family, show your loyalty to the Emperor," Leia argued. "Take me, but leave Solo unharmed. I will pay you double the bounty you would have collected from his capture and you can collect the award for me from the Empire," she bargained.

"Alderaan no longer exists," Vre'coploi venomously hissed, and Han cringed. "What riches do you have?"

Leia's face looked as if it were made of stone, "Not all of our riches were kept on Alderaan, and I still have access to many off-world accounts." When Vre'coploi didn't say anything, the princess made one last plea, "I can access one of those accounts here on Ord Mantell in the main port. Take my offer. Leave Solo, and I will go with you peacefully." She slightly bowed her head, "You have my word."

Vre'coploi mulled over her offer. "Very well," he agreed, and a wave of relief rushed over the princess. "Alderaanians are honorable and highly esteemed people." He looked at Han, his lips pulled back in disgust, "Corellians cannot be trusted. How can you assure me Solo will not breach our agreement?"

The princess looked back at Han and frowned.

Han smiled, "That's right. So you should take me instead of her. She's honorable, remember?"

Leia's eyes widened, and her brow knitted in anger. "Han, will you shut up," her voice was low and menacing. She turned her attention back to Vre'coploi, "We can stun him."

"WHAT!"

"We'll be far away from him before he wakes," Leia said. "He won't be able to find us or stop you."

"Very well," Vre'coploi closed his eyes and opened them in a gesture of goodwill. "On your knees, Solo," He forcefully ordered. Then he turned to the princess, "Say your good-byes."

"Leia, you aren't doing this!" Han protested, "I won't let you."

"Please, Han," she whispered, "kneel down. That way you won't hurt yourself from the fall when you are stunned."

"How could you do this to me?" his anger boiled over.

"I'd rather you be stunned than dead," Leia placed her hands on his chest. "Please," she breathed, and Han complied.

The princess removed the coat she was wearing and placed it around Han's shoulders.

"Leia…" he couldn't believe this was happening. "You'll be cold."

"I'll be okay," she gave him a closed-mouth smile. "Please…put it on." When he didn't move to put it on, she gently grabbed his arms and helped him into the coat. He allowed her to do this.

When Han wouldn't look at her, Leia placed her hands on the sides of his face and pulled his head up so that he would have to look at her. His eyes were watery and pained. She bent down and threw her arms around him and held him tight to her. At first, his arms stayed at his side, but he couldn't help but give in. He embraced her with fervor, wanting to hold on to her forever so she couldn't leave, so she wouldn't turn herself over to the bounty hunter, so she would never be hurt.

Han buried his head into her shoulder, "Please don't do this." Then a light bulb went on in his head. "What about the obligation you have to the rebellion?" he whispered into her ear.

The princess kept her arms around his neck but pulled her head back so they were nose to nose, "Do you really think I value the rebellion more than your life?"

Han stared into her eyes, "No, of course not." He tried to smile.

Leia gave him the most radiant smile, a smile he had never seen before. She embraced him again, "Stay safe." Her laugh tickled his ear. This was Han Solo she was talking to. She amended her statement, "Try not to get yourself into too much trouble." She lingered in the embrace a little longer, thankful that Vre'coploi wasn't rushing her.

Han sighed, overcome with defeat. She pulled away, and he felt like his heart was being torn away with her. But she didn't separate from him completely. Leia grabbed his head, leaned over him, and pressed her lips fervently against his. She caught Han by surprise, but he quickly recovered and drew her deeper into the kiss. Without breaking their connection, she dropped to her knees and closed the gap between their bodies. He placed a hand on the back of her head and bent her slightly back.

"Uh, Your Highness…" Vre'coploi interrupted.

Han and Leia parted, but he still held her in the same position so that he could gaze upon her face. Although her large brown eyes were watery, she smiled at him as if she was never happier and whispered, "I…I'm going to miss you." With that she disengaged from the embrace and pulled herself to her feet.

Han crumpled, catching himself with his hands. He watched her slowly approach Vre'coploi who had recovered their discarded weapons. Leia offered him her hands, and the bounty hunter cuffed them together and tied the cord dangling from the cuffs to his belt.

"Please leave him his blaster," Leia asked, "so he can defend himself from anything that may live in the forest."

"As you wish," Vre'coploi dropped Han's blaster down to the ground, making sure it was out of Han's reach. He then raised the small blaster that was Leia's and pointed it at Han; "Ready?" the bounty hunter was looking at Han but addressing Leia.

Leia never took her eyes off Han's. She bit her lip and hesitated. "Ready," she whispered.

Leia's distressed expression was the last thing Han saw before he lost consciousness.


	15. Chapter 15

CHAPTER 15:

Han Solo groaned and opened his eyes. He found himself lying on his back, staring up at the stars through a tangle of branches, and suffering from a throbbing headache. He always hated the after-effects of a blaster stun. His hands were tucked into the opposite sleeves of his coat, and the hood of the coat was pulled over his head. Chortling mirthlessly, he recognized the caring touches of the princess. He pulled himself into a seated position despite the protest of his battered body. There would be time to deal with his bruised body later. Right now, his only concern was finding Leia before the bounty hunter turned her over to the Imperials. Han unzipped the coat Leia must have zipped up and reached for the commlink hooked on his belt.

"Chewie?" Han was relieved to hear the voice of his best friend, "We ran into some trouble." Chewbacca went into his usual tirade of admonishments. "Listen," Han cut him off, "Leia was taken by a bounty hunter by the name of Vre'coploi. They're headed to a bank in Port City." Chewbacca interrupt. "I don't know which one. Find out what ship's Vre'coploi's and where it's docked. Maybe we can ambush him there." He listened to Chewbacca for a moment, "Don't worry about me, pal. I'll find my way back there. Just make sure you don't let him take Leia. Comm me when you know where his ship is," Han ordered, and then he added, "And try to keep Luke out of trouble." Chewie bade him farewell, "Hopefully, I'll see you soon."

Han shoved the commlink into the left pocket of his heavy coat. His brow furrowed, and he pulled out something foreign in his pocket. He examined the credits in his hand. He glanced around for his blaster and found it tucked nicely away in his holster. Must have been Leia. At least she made sure he wasn't stranded out here. Han stood up and surveyed his surroundings. He shook his head when his eyes found a cluster of lights not too far ahead. Leia was right about her sense of direction. It was on the other side of the river. Hopefully, there'd be a bridge to cross. He wasted no more time and pushed branches and brush out of his way with a renewed determination.

As Solo approached the settlement, he was relieved that it was a town, a rough-looking town, but this little detail only made Han more comfortable. He walked along the edge of the river looking for a shallow place to cross. Fortunately, he came across a weathered wooden bridge. He squint his eyes to get a better look at what lied on the other side, but it was too shadowy to make out anything specific. It was a good place for an ambush by thieves or other bounty hunters that may be roaming in the area.

With his hand on the butt of his blaster, Han crossed the bridge with trepidation. However, his cautiousness was unwarranted. It wasn't long when he found himself on a well-lit street lined with small pubs and larger cantinas in between other shops and markets that seemed to be closed. Han studied a few of the revelers traveling between the pubs and cantinas. Most were rough-looking men and non-humans who wore coveralls stained with black smudges. They spoke loudly, laughed even louder, and staggered down the street. The town must have been a miner's outpost, although Han had never heard of any mining being done on Ord Mantell. He stepped out unto the brightly lit streets, scanning the streets for a speeder or something that would get him to the city the quickest. He looked around. He could do this the honest way and find someone to sell him a speeder with the credits Leia left in the coat. But the honest way would take some time, and he may not be welcome since he was obviously an outsider. Then he spotted a lone speeder bike in the shadows of an alley. It looked like the best strategy would be to hot-wire that bike and get out of there before anyone noticed it was missing. He snorted, thinking about the reaction he'd get from Leia for stealing a speeder bike.

Han pulled his hood low over his face and shoved his hands in his pocket as he briskly walked over to the speeder bike. He leaned against the wall nonchalantly and waited to see if anyone noticed them. A few revelers passed him by, but they seemed too drunk to pay him any mind. Han smiled to himself. Once no one was near, Solo walked over to the bike as if it were his and mounted it. Han pulled on a few wires without even looking at them. He fiddled around with them, pressing two together and then two more until the bike rattled alive. The speeder bike wasn't in the best condition. He frowned and wished Leia was here to insult him by comparing this bike to the _Falcon_. He should have been had he been more careful. He cursed to himself.

No time to waste dwelling on the mistakes he made. Han revved the bike and guided it down the street at a casual speed. Once the buildings were farther apart and there was no one on the streets, Han pushed the speeder bike to its fullest speed capacity. He didn't really know his way to Port City, but fortunately there were clear signs written in Basic that pointed him in the right direction.

Han only slowed down when his commlink beeped. "Chewie," he was so relieved to hear from his co-pilot. "Any news?"

Solo released the breath he didn't know he was holding, "Great. I don't think I'm too far from there." He carefully listened to his best friend, "Good thinking, pal. That way we can make a quick get away. If anyone gives you grief about moving the _Falcon_ there, just mention Rainer's name." Han pulled the commlink away from his ear as Chewie raised his voice. Han rolled his eyes, "I wasn't implying you were brainless. Just get there as soon as possible."

As Han estimated, he wasn't too far from the Port City. He slowed his speed when he reached the city and casually fell into the traffic. He scanned the streets, hoping to find Leia, but there was no sign of her. He thought about driving by the bank he knew, but if he remembered right, there was more than one branch in the area and countless other companies. The best chance he had of recovering Leia was to head straight to the docking bays and hope he reached it before Vre'coploi and Leia did.

When Han neared Docking Bay 63, the docking bay Vre'coploi's ship was—according to Chewbacca, he dumped the speeder bike and briskly walked the rest of the way. With one hand shoved in the outer pocket of his coat and the other resting on the butt of his blaster, he entered the docking bay. It took him a few minutes to locate the _Fli'quid Hui Enidi_. It was a small vessel, angular and awkward but well armed. As Han approached it, he pulled back into the shadows. He looked around for the _Falcon_, but it was a large docking bay. The _Falcon_ could have been there, but it wasn't in sight. The _Fli'quid Hui Enidi_ was still secure, meaning that Han had reached the ship before Vre'coploi. He glanced around to see if he saw any sign of Chewbacca or Luke, but the area was deserted. That would be good. He didn't want to attract any attention from those using the docking bay, but he would have felt better if he saw his friends.

And then Han saw his prey. Vre'coploi kept Leia close to him as he made his way to his ship. She still had her hands bound, but she was no longer tethered to the bounty hunter. That would make things easier. As they stepped under an overhead light, Han noticed that Leia's face was ashen, and she seemed to be having trouble keeping up with Vre'coploi who was dragging her by the arm. Han doubted Vre'coploi would have harmed her; she was worth a lot more alive than dead. Han guessed that the drugs Dr. Gre'hos gave her were wearing off. He had to get her back. He would have preferred to wait for Chewie and Luke before he ambushed Vre'coploi, but it didn't look like he could wait any longer.

When Vre'coploi stepped into his path, Han jumped out and fired at the bounty hunter.

"No!" Leia screamed and shoved Vre'coploi to the ground. She fell with him, Han's shot grazing her shoulder.

"Leia!" Shocked, Han didn't move from where he was standing.

Vre'coploi sat up and aimed his blaster squarely at Han's chest. He had a clear easy shot thanks to the princess. He smiled and squeezed the trigger. At that moment Leia sat up and pushed Vre'coploi's arm with more force than anyone would have expected. His shot scorched the ship under which Han was standing. Han dropped to the ground, and Leia visibly relaxed when she saw that he was unharmed.

Vre'coploi shoved the princess back to the ground and straddled her in order to regain his control of her. She was easily restrained. As quick as Han could draw his blaster, the bounty hunter had unsheathed his knife. He grabbed Leia's hair, exposing her neck, and pressed the knife into her skin.

"You gave your word!" Vre'coploi screamed. "You gave your word," he whispered.

"Let her go," Han yelled as he regained his feet. "This isn't her fault. It's mine."

Still holding the knife on the princess' throat, Vre'coploi turned his dark eyes on Han. His lips pulled back, exposing his menacing teeth, "Corellians can't be trusted."

"But Alderaanians can," Han pleaded. "Let her go. She didn't betray you."

Vre'coploi hissed in anger, "She gave her word, and you broke it. She has to die."

"NO!"

Vre'coploi had no time to react. With a flash of a blue light, the bounty hunter's head rolled off his neck, and his headless body slumped over, releasing his hold on Leia. Luke Skywalker stood over the decapitated bounty hunter with his light saber still poised for action. Luke's chest rose and fell as he stared at his handiwork in horror. Mouth open in surprise, Leia looked up at Skywalker. Both of them seemed equally shocked. Han and Chewbacca rushed over to them. But Han didn't have time to let them recover. They had to get out of there before they were discovered. Han grabbed Leia under her arms and pulled her to her feet. Her eyes stared at the dead bounty hunter.

"Come on!" Han yelled at her.

But she didn't move. "I gave him my word," she whispered.

"You gave your word to a bounty hunter," Han corrected her. "He was a _bounty hunter_!"

She didn't respond. Han wrapped his arm around her waist and picked her off her feet. He didn't know if he was angrier that she ruined the clean shot he had of Vre'coploi or that she was lamenting about giving her word to a bounty hunter who was going to turn her over to the Empire. He glanced over at Chewbacca. Chewbacca had his paws on Luke's shoulders. Luke was still standing there with his light saber drawn and his eyes on the dead body of Vre'coploi. Chewbacca pulled on him, but he didn't move.

"Luke!" Han yelled as he started toward the _Falcon_.

Luke looked over at Han and deactivated his weapon. However, he didn't move. Chewbacca grabbed the boy, pulled him off his feet, and carried him to the _Falcon_.

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Fortunately, the four of them made it to the _Millennium Falcon_ without being noticed, which was a huge surprise to Han. He couldn't imagine four more conspicuous-looking beings in the whole galaxy at that moment. He was glad that the showdown with Vre'coploi happened at an hour when docking bays are the least populated, and the bounty hunter's ship was tucked nicely in the back corner.

Chewbacca and Han ran straight to the cockpit with Luke and Leia in tow before the ramp of the _Falcon_ closed completely. Han would have preferred to leave them in the lounge, but he doubted that either of them had the presence of mind to strap themselves in. Chewie deposited Luke in the seat behind his large co-pilot's seat. Luke managed to snap out of his trance and pull the safety restraint over his body. Han nimbly strapped Leia into the seat next to Luke's. Her hands were still in restraints, but there was no time to deal with that now. Once they were safely away from Ord Mantell he would deal with her.

The moment they reached clear space, the _Falcon_ jumped into hyperspace, headed in the direction of the rebel's new base on Hoth. Neither Han nor Chewbacca knew anything about that planet. Han just hoped that it would be cooler than Yavin IV. He was tired of humid rainforests. He swiveled his seat around to glare at the princess and Luke. Neither of them seemed to notice the anger that was boiling behind Han's eyes. Chewbacca lowly grumbled.

Han shifted his attention to Chewie, "Fine." He got up and left the cockpit.

Chewbacca turned his blue eyes to Luke and then to Leia as if he couldn't figure out whom to deal with first. He figured he'd tend to Leia first since her hands were still tethered together and she was paler than usual. He quietly growled, and the princess' big brown eyes looked up at him. He helped her to her feet and led her to Han's cabin. Once in there, Leia sat down on the bed, and Chewie joined her. He stroked her hair and spoke softly to her. When Han entered the room with heavy-duty wire cutters, Chewbacca narrowed his eyes on him.

Solo pressed his lips together and silently walked over to Leia. It took every ounce of will he had to not start yelling at her for her earlier actions. Chewbacca lifted Leia's arm and Han went to work on removing the restraints. They clattered to the floor, and Han got a good luck at the dark red marks around Leia's wrists. Chewbacca got up get some bacta gel. Han noticed the scorch mark on her shoulder, and he swallowed down his guilt. She did get in the way of the shot, but he still felt guilty. Leia let him unbutton the shirt she was wearing. He pulled it off of her. He gently twisted her arm to get a better look and was relieved to find that the shot only burnt a hole in her thermal shirt. He sighed and glared at her.

Han couldn't hold back his anger any longer, "Why did you get in the way of my shot? You could've been killed!"

Leia eyes snapped up on him, "_I gave him my word!_ How dare you—"

"You gave your word to a bounty hunter," Han pointed out to her. "Bounty hunters are not nice or honorable people. I don't care where he came from!" He towered over her, "He was going to turn you over to the Imperials, Leia!"

Leia's chest rose with a sharp intake of air, "I know that. That was part of the deal, remember?"

He couldn't believe her. Han turned to leave but changed his mind, "So that was going to be it! You were just going to let him hand you over to Vader. What? Did you miss his hospitality? You know, we could've left you on the Death Star if you had just told us how much you enjoyed Vader's company!"

Han bit his lip. He couldn't believe what he had just said to her. She turned her large brown eyes up at him, and he could see the horror his words caused her. All he wanted at that moment was to take it back. All he wanted was to tell her that he just couldn't let Vre'coploi take her, that he promised himself that he would never allow anyone to hurt her. His shoulders slumped as he realized he was the one who caused her pain. He failed to protect her, and now he hurt her with his words.

Then she spoke, her shaky voice barely audible, "I wasn't going to let him turn you over to Jabba."

Her words stabbed Han's heart. He didn't know what to say. Last thing he ever wanted was to put her in danger, and here she was, ready to sacrifice herself for him. _For him_. He gazed into her determined eyes. Both of them were breathing hard from their argument. Leia's lips were pressed firmly together as if to hold back her anger, but her eyes told another story. _She genuinely cared for him._ All the time he thought he was her protector, she thought she was his. This thought hit Han like a ton of steel-crete.

Chewbacca entered the room with a tube of bacta gel in his hairy paw, breaking the heavy silence that filled the room. Leia looked away from Han and favored Chewbacca with a small smile. Han watched as Chewie tended to her wrists, feeling completely drained.

When Chewbacca finished, Leia slowly stood, "I think I would like to take a shower before I rest." She wouldn't look at Han.

Chewbacca grumbled and ushered Han out of the room, reassuring Han that he'd make sure she was taken care of. Han's eyes dropped to the ground defeated. He left the room and headed to the cockpit. As he walked through the lounge, he noticed that the motion sensors didn't activate the lights. That meant that they were manually deactivated. _Just great,_ Han thought as he pulled out his blaster. The last thing they needed to deal with was a stowaway bounty hunter. Once his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he scanned the room. He peered at the hologame board and holstered his blaster.

He approached the lone figure that was hugging his legs and staring out into the darkness at nothing.

"Hey kid," Han greeted him. "What are you doing down there?"

Luke was seated next to the bench of the hologame board. He looked up at Han. It was obviously had been crying. Han ran a hand through his hair unsure if he leave Luke alone or get involved. He rolled his eyes and chose the latter.

Han sat down next to Luke and folded his legs under him, "Leia's okay. She's just getting freshened up." Luke didn't look at him so he continued, "I'm sure she would like your company." _More so than mine,_ Han thought to himself.

Luke turned his blue eyes on Han, "I…I never killed anyone before." He paused, "Not with my light saber."

Han looked down. Killing was almost second nature to him. He tried to remember the first time he had killed someone, but no memory came to mind. He shook his head. Luke just joined up with the rebellion; he's a willing participant in a war. Killing is a part of war. What did Luke think a light saber was for? Han looked back at his young, naïve friend. Luke was a pilot and hadn't experienced much hand-to-hand combat. And shooting stormtroopers wasn't anything like shooting someone whose dead eyes could look back up to you.

Han placed a hand on Luke's shoulder, "You saved Leia's life." He stared meaningfully into Luke's eyes, "That bounty hunter was about to slit her throat. He was going to kill her."

Luke mulled over Han's words. Han was right; if Luke didn't kill Vre'coploi, that bounty hunter would have killed Leia. But Vre'coploi's eyes, the pained expression on his face…it haunted him, and he wasn't even asleep.

"Come on," Han stood and held out a hand for Luke. "I think a few shots of Corellian whiskey will make you feel better."

Luke took Han's hand, "Uh…no thanks. I think I'll go lie down."

"Okay," Han ceded, and he watched his troubled friend retreat towards the crew's quarters.

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It was going to take them five days to reach Hoth. Five very long days, in Han's opinion. He did his best to avoid his friends, even his best friend Chewbacca. Han was thankful that Leia spent most of her time in his cabin recuperating. When Luke wasn't with Leia, he was playing holochess with Chewie or working on the report the group was expected to turn in when they got to Hoth. The princess normally wrote these reports, but Luke felt obligated to help her out. When the three of them ate their meals, Han found some excuse not to join in. He fiddled and tweaked parts of the _Falcon_ that he had long neglected. It was about time he got back to taking care of his ship, anyway.

But no matter how much effort he put in staying clear of his friends or how much tinkering he did on the _Falcon_, Han couldn't shake his guilt for putting his friends in such peril. He was relieved that Leia was recovering just fine, but he didn't think Luke would ever be okay again. _It's out of my control,_ he told himself. _It's not my fault. _But no matter how many times he told himself that, it didn't make a difference.

One evening, Han was wandering back to the crew cabin after a cold meal he ate alone when he heard his friends laughing. He stopped at the door of his cabin and looked in. Chewbacca had pulled his favorite lounge chair into the room and was now beating his knees gawruffing loudly. Luke's ridiculous laugh was punctuated by the melodic lilt escaping Leia. He peered in all the while doing his best not to be noticed. Luke and Leia were lying in the bed staring up at the holovid they were watching. It was a stupid comedy that Han hadn't seen in a while, and was somewhat surprised that someone as regal as the princess would find it funny. Han shoved his hands in his pocket and tried to walk passed the door before anyone saw him.

"Han!" Luke called, sitting up.

"Whaddya want?" Han mumbled.

"Come watch this holovid with us," he smiled welcoming.

Han's eyes found Leia's. She was watching him, her expression unreadable. Her hair was styled in those absurd buns.

Han started to step away, "I don't think so."

But Luke was persistent, "Aw, come on. There's room here for you." He scooted over.

Han hesitated, but Chewbacca grumbled to him in between laughs. Han entered the room looking contrite. He noticed that Leia and Luke's fingers were intertwined but tried not to let that bother him. _It shouldn't bother me,_ he reminded himself. Han made his way over to the bed and squeezed in next to Leia. Although Leia kept her hand in Luke's, she wrapped her arm around his and leaned her head on his shoulder. Luke was right; it turned out there was more than enough room for Han. He smiled to himself and let himself get lost in the holovid.

THE END

>Thank you for reading my story. To those of you who reviewed it, thank you. I really appreciate your kind comments.


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